Written by Staci of Eating in Denmark.

I'm not Danish and I've only lived in Denmark for a year, but I've learned a little about what Christmas means to Danes and the many traditions involved in celebrating this most special of winter holidays. In addition to ubiquitous Christmas luncheons ("Julefrokoster" in Danish), their penchant for while lights and candles, and special holiday foods, above all else Danes value spending the holidays with close friends and family. Moreover, Christmas in Denmark simply wouldn't be the same without a nisse doll or figurine (household guardian spirit), stocking, or advent calendar in the house. While Christmas traditions might vary from region to region and even family to family, most of what I've discovered is consistent among most Danish families.

First, a run down of important dates: December 23, is called Lille Juleaften (little Christmas Eve), and is a time for finishing up last-minute preparations for Juleaften, or Christmas Eve. Unlike in most of the U.S. where the 25th is the big day, in Denmark it's December 24. On Christmas Day, Danes take it easy and many stay at home to admire and play with their gifts, eat cold cuts and leftovers, and relax by staying in a warm, cozy house and perhaps going for a leisurely stroll outdoors. On December 26 and 27, it is common to spend time with extended family members over lunch or dinner, thereby extending the Christmas celebration. What's more, throughout the month of December there are countless holiday luncheons that take place at work, the homes of good friends, community centers, and so on.

A typical menu for Julefrokost might include the following: open face sandwiches of fish on rye bread with lemon and remoulade, slices of roasted pork with crispy bacon rind on top, two types of cooked potatoes, sausage, pickled red cabbage, and warm liver spread ("leverpostej" is akin to paté) with bacon and mushrooms, also served on rye bread. A brief aside about Denmark's rye bread, called rugbrød, a word that is nearly impossible for non-Danes to pronounce correctly, just ask Oprah Winfrey. If you missed the recent episode where she profiled the everyday lives of Danish women, then you might not know that Oprah is a huge fan of rugbrød. She brought six loaves back to Chicago and claims it tastes like eating a piece of the earth. As a fellow lover of this dense, healthy dark bread, I couldn't be happier that she gave a shout out to Denmark and rugbrød. In addition to all the food, most Christmas lunches include plenty of alcohol--Aquavit (snaps) is essential--and a special rice pudding for dessert known as ris a' la mande.

Christmas Eve is a day of traditional food served only at Christmas as well as time with family, and fun. A typical Danish family enjoys a long, leisurely meal followed by dessert, dancing around the tree and singing carols, opening presents, and then a bite of fruit, cookies, candy, and a cup of coffee before going to bed. While the staples of the dinner include duck, goose, or turkey, pickled red cabbage, boiled potatoes, and gravy, every family has their own unique take on the meal. In one family I know, they eat stuffed turkey alongside a sort of red current jelly, and Waldorf salad, in addition to the other traditional dishes just mentioned. Dessert tends to be the same in every family: Ris a' la mande with warm cherry sauce. This sweet, creamy rice pudding with finely chopped almonds is an essential Christmas dessert, and the best part is that whomever finds the one whole almond hidden in the pudding gets a sweet treat, usually marzipan or chocolate.

Traditional foods eaten throughout December include oranges, clementines, nuts, and apples. In Denmark it is a very old belief that a visitor who leaves the house without being fed may carry away the Christmas spirit. When visiting friends it is very common to be served a plate of cookies and candy or Æbleskiver, a delicious golf-ball size donut served with powdered sugar, jam, or syrup. A mulled wine called Glogg, known far and wide throughout Scandinavia, is also offered. The wine is sipped warm and contains bits of raisins, nuts, and spices. The most common cookies are pebernødder, vanillekranse, and brunkager. Marzipan is huge in Denmark and no more so than at Christmas time. There are hundreds of types of candy, cookies, and cakes made from almond paste, chocolate, and nougat. In addition to Glogg, other popular drinks include hivdøl, or white beer, that is a malt beer with very low alcohol content, and Aquavit, a hard liquor made from potatoes or grain and flavored with various herbs and spices. Aquavit is an essential part of practically any Danish celebration, including Christmas.

Finally, there are many non-food related traditions that are uniquely Danish, even though they might be shared by other Scandinavian countries. All Danish children get one or more Advent calendars. While most are store-bought and contain candy or chocolate, some are hand-made and might include other gifts such as little toys, books, etc. The Danish families I know provide stockings for their children, but each family handles the tradition in a slightly different way. Most children get a little gift in their stocking every Sunday, but some are treated to a surprise every day leading up to Christmas. In one family I know, the tradition ends as soon as the child turns 10, but a friend now in her thirties told me that she got stocking gifts from her parents until she had her own children. But the important thing to note is that the stocking gifts are small, usually inexpensive, but always a delightful surprise for the kids.

We live in Hobro, a small town in North Jutland, and the masses of white lights here have made the town come alive. I've noticed that white lights are ubiquitous (mainly on outdoor trees, not anywhere on the house) and hung in favor of colored lights. When I asked a friend about this, she explained that outdoor lights are a relatively recent phenomenon in Denmark and that while white lights are viewed as elegant and classic, colored lights are considered gaudy and tasteless by most.

In addition to lights, Danes set out holiday greenery in front of their doors, most commonly in large plant pots or on their door step. They also hold white candles in the same regard as white lights. In general--not just at Christmas time--Danes burn lots of candles to create an atmosphere of warmth and coziness. At Christmas time there are special Advent candles that are burned for a short time each day leading up to Christmas to observe this special time of year.

Remember when I mentioned the pervasiveness of something called nisse? Well, I'd like to tell you about our own household nisse, Alberte. In Scandinavian folklore, nisse (who look sort of like a cross between a nome and an elf) were responsible for the care and prosperity of a farm. While they were essential to the viability of the farm, they were known to be tempermental. If the household was not careful to keep its nisse happy, the spirit could turn against its masters and cause harm. How to keep them happy? Every Christmas Eve, the household would prepare and leave out a bowl of rice porridge (risengrød) for its nisse. I was lucky to receive Alberte as a gift this year and hope that she will bring much happiness and peace to my household. And yes, I will be preparing a bowl of risengrød for Alberte on Christmas Eve. God Jul og Godt Nytår!

Thanks to Mette Jensen, Lise Dollaris, and Inger Madsen for all the insight on Christmas in Denmark.

Photos
1. Typical Danish Christmas Dinner
2. A plate of traditional Christmas sweets
3. Æbleskiver
4. Baker making vanillekranse
5. Alberte, my nisse

Please check out our previous Holiday Articles where you'll find great gift giving ideas (there's still time for 2-3 day shipping!) excellent recipes, and wonderful stories about Christmas in Italy, Germany and a tourist's view of Christmas in Berlin, Prague and Vienna (with bonus Glühwein recipe!) ENJOY!

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