Christmas in Denmark

Rainy December day in Odense

My volunteering experience in Odense allowed me to know better what Christmas means for Danish people. While big cities have, as well, their customs and traditions, in smaller cities like Odense it is easier to enjoy local Christmas traditions. Here there are some things that you should know about Christmas in Denmark.

1. Aebleskiver, gløgg and risalamande on Christmas table

If you used to think about pancakes only in terms of flat shapes you should free yourself from this prejudice: danish pancakes are small, ball-shaped and puffy, but still delicious. You can find them in every supermarket during Christmas time, and they are usually eaten together with some marmelade and powdered sugar on them. The name would describe them as pancakes with slices (skiver) of apple (aeble) but they evolved in that simple recipe that we already know (flour, eggs, milk, butter.. ).

Sharing aebleskiver at Studiestuen, the place where I was volunteering

Another tradition is sharing some hygge and gløgg with our beloved ones: all you need to prepare this (alcoholic or analcoholic) drink is a bottle of red wine (or a bottle of analcoholic gløgg that you can easily find at the supermarket), some almonds, raisins or nuts and a mix of spices. To make this Christmas drink just put together these ingredients in a pot, bring to the boil and maintain the pot on the hotplate so you can have some hot gløgg for the entire afternoon. You can find it everywhere, from local Christmas markets to the central streets of Copenhagen, where you can drink it during a walking near the harbour.

Me eating street food in Copenhagen

The last thing that I would like to share with you is the risalamande, a sweet rice pudding that Danish people use to serve at Christmas dinner: even though it has only a few ingredients, it still needs a good preparation. To the rice pudding you have to add some fresh cream, peeled and cut almonds, vanilla and once you've mixed them together you could put some cherry marmalade on it, for more colour and extra flavour! Danish people use to leave an intact almond in the pudding, so the lucky one who finds it will receive an additional Christmas present!

Danish Christmas risalamande

2. Julehjerte on Christmas tree

December is everywhere the month of lights and Christmas songs: Odense is not an exception and its decorations cover the entire city in a joyful symphony creating a festive atmosphere! The trees are full of lights and it is common to see, in the city, the danish Christmas symbol: the Julehjerte, which was originally a paper handmade heart-shaped basket placed on Christmas tree to hold the sweet dedications for our darlings! The legend says that the custom dates back to Hans Christian Andersen's epoch, who was the first one to make it for his better half! During my volunteering experience I learned how to make them and the special meaning it has for Danish people!

Julehjerters left by children for Santa Claus in Odense

Moreover, if you never get tired of Christmas songs, Odense is by far the best place where you can spend your winter holidays (they are everywhere)! They also use to sing cheerful songs together, in circle, around the Christmas tree.

3. Different countries, different Santas

My friends of Studiestuen told me that Santa Claus in Denmark looks differently and it has different origins: in fact it has also a different name, Julemanden, it wears green clothes and it lives in Greenland. It corresponds to the evolution, under the influence of other cultures (especially that of the United States), of danish culture's mythological characters: originally they believed in little elves ancestors of the gnome Nissa, who used to prank children with unusual present.

Danish Christmas is made of simple things: candles, little fir trees everywhere, spiced biscuits and hot drinks, music and a lot of joy!

Typical danish Christmas biscuits