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Danish holidays and special occasions.© Britt Koch Franczek-Pedersen
Danish holidays and special occasions are for the most part being celebrated in Denmark with intensity and as a reason for people to get together having fun and enjoying life.
Food and drinks are very often a big part of the celebration and special food and even special drinks such as i.e. Easter and Christmas beer and Snaps is being enjoyed.
I will mention the Danish holidays and special occasions as they are celebrated in this year 2001. Some of the dates vary from year to year.
People wear costumes and kids go from door to door singing 'begging' for candy. A wooden barrel is filled with candy and fruit and the hits hit it till it breaks and the one making the first hole in the barrel becomes the 'queen' and the one who hits off the last board becomes the 'king'. April 8: Palm Sunday. April 12: Maundy Thursday. April 13: Good Friday. April 15: Easter. A church day for those who believe in God. People get together for the 'Store Kolde Bord' (see previous article), write Easter cards and eat Easter eggs. April 16: 2.nd Easter Day. People do the same as Easter. May 1: Old communistic day. People, especially the communists, used to get off at noon, - some still do, - and then go to Fælled Parken, a big park, where they would drink, listen to speeches, make speeches, listen to music and hang out most of the day. May 11: Store Bededag (Great Day of Prayer). Only Danish day of prayer since year 1686. The night before Store Bededag it is custom to eat a special white bread, heated with butter. May 24: Ascension Day. June 3: Whit Sunday. June 4: Whit Monday. June 5: Danish National Day. June 23: Midsummer's Eve. Big bond fires all over Denmark where witches are being burned. Today it is merely big dolls normally made out of hay, but it is symbolizing back in time when actual people were burned on the fires for being witches. Music and dance is often part of this night as well. November 10: Evening of Morten. Goose is being eaten on this evening to symbolize the punishment of the geese that made so much noise when Morten (Martin of Tours) was hiding amongst them because he didn't wanted to become a bishop. December 23: The evening before Christmas Eve. Often celebrated with family and friends preparing the decorations for the Christmas three, drinking Glogg and eating Christmas cookies and apple dumplings. December 24: Christmas Eve. Many people start out the day by going to church. And many people put fresh flowers on their loved ones graves. Go To Page: 1 2
The copyright of the article Danish holidays and special occasions. in Denmark is owned by Britt Koch Franczek-Pedersen. Permission to republish Danish holidays and special occasions. in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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