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CHRISTMAS

OPINION: If you can’t go home for Christmas, Denmark is a good place to be

After missing out on seeing his family for Christmas 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, The Local Denmark editor Michael Barrett got to try out Danish Christmas for the first time.

Published: 22 December 2021 13:45 CET
Updated: 24 December 2021 09:17 CET
A Danish dining table on Christmas Eve.
A Danish dining table on Christmas Eve. File photo: Vibeke Toft/Ritzau Scanpix

We’d always planned to spend last Christmas in the UK. My daughter was born in March 2020, coinciding with the outset of the global coronavirus pandemic but, as worrying and uncertain as everything was at the time, we were sure it would have all settled down in nine months’ time. We started planning for her to spend her first Christmas with her grandparents, cousin and the rest of our extended family in England.

As we all know, this was far from how things turned out. The autumn and winter of last year saw spiralling Covid-19 cases across Europe and countries responding by introducing more and more restrictions, including on travel.

I’m not sure exactly when we conceded we’d have to cancel our plans to go to the UK for Christmas in 2020, but I do remember the look of resignation on my parents’ faces when I let them know. The writing had already been on the wall for a while by then.

Visiting my partner’s mother in December, I looked out of the window at the greying skies over Jutland, the dim lights of a distant Føtex store and the limp red and white pendants on flag poles as bare as the trees, and nothing felt familiar.

This was because, despite having lived in Denmark for almost a decade and a half, I’d never spent Christmas in the country. Every year I’d head home by the 22nd or 23rd, usually returning just before New Year to enjoy the rowdy firework displays in Aarhus or Copenhagen after a week of putting my feet up and savouring the familiarity and comfort of Christmas at home.

Denmark famously has its own Christmas traditions, comparable but certainly different to the British ones. I knew about them – I’ve exchanged information about national Christmas customs with many Danes over the years – but never witnessed them first-hand.

The big day came around quickly, not least because it all happens on the 24th, not the 25th.

Festivities did take a while to get going, though. Not until 4pm in fact, when ancient Disney Christmas special From All of Us to All of You, known in Danish as Disneys juleshow began on main TV broadcaster DR. Usually I’d have been watching an early-1980s David Bowie introducing The Snowman around now. A cup of warm gløgg (spiced red wine with raisins and almonds) was thrust into my hand, and I missed Bowie a little bit less.

After a couple more glasses of gløgg and wine, we sat down for Christmas dinner: roast duck, brown potatoes, boiled potatoes, gravy and red cabbage. It was of course already dark and a prolific number of candles were lit on the table and around the room, adding to the festive feeling of the star-topped tree, paper hearts and other decorations.

For dessert, we had risalamande, the popular cold rice sweet mixed with whipped cream, vanilla and chopped almonds and served with cherry sauce. By tradition, one whole almond is left in the dessert and whoever finds it wins a present, which is customarily a julegris, a chocolate pig with marzipan filling. This game is often fixed so that a child (or children) wins the prize, but the only child present was a nine-month-old and I ended up finding the almond in my bowl.

Then it was time to dance around the tree and exchange presents. Most of us had too much dessert, so it was a more sedate affair than I expected. After the little one was fast asleep we sat back on the sofas and had a couple more glasses of wine or maybe a few snacks.

It was all over before Santa traditionally lands his sleigh on rooftops and hops down British chimneys in the small hours of Christmas morning.

Danish families with young children often assign someone to dress up as Father Christmas and come round to deliver the presents to excited youngsters before dinner on Christmas Eve.

Maybe I’ll get the chance to audition for the role next year because our Danish-British family will be in Denmark every other Christmas for the foreseeable future – by choice, not restriction. I’m looking forward to it, because my first Danish Christmas gave me a better understanding of why this time of year is loved by so many Danes.

READ ALSO: My five favourite Danish childhood Christmas memories

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CHRISTMAS

Julefrokost: Denmark’s work Christmas party tradition explained

The arrival of December means 'Julefrokost' season is officially underway in Denmark. Here's what you need to know about the Danish Christmas party tradition.

Published: 1 December 2023 14:52 CET
Updated: 7 December 2023 07:57 CET
Julefrokost: Denmark’s work Christmas party tradition explained

What is a julefrokost?

A julefrokost, or “Christmas lunch”, is a traditional Danish gathering with your co-workers. The event typically includes dinner, typically in the form of a buffet; drinks (lots of them); and eventually dancing and possibly other escapades you may or may not regret in the morning. 

The festive gathering is not just hosted by employers. Clubs, universities and even banks will also hold a julefrokost for their members (don’t expect the latter to host anything at the rowdy end of the scale). But if you’re signed up for lots of clubs, activities, and hobbies, you can expect a packed social calendar over Christmas. 

The tradition of the Christmas party may have wholesome roots, but in the modern day, the julefrokost’s reputation has become more coloured. Seeing as the wicked-strength Aquavit (schnapps) and deceptively-smooth gløgg (mulled wine) typically flow like water during the festive event, embarrassing oneself at a Christmas table is something many Danes have shared reddened cheeks over. 

When is it?

Some companies schedule their Christmas parties in late November or even in January. Employers know how busy people are around the holidays and will therefore often try to pick a date where the most people can attend.

Although this date sometimes ends up outside the few festive weeks leading up to Christmas in December, the most common and popular season for the julefrokost is in early December, when Christmas spirit has set in but still far enough away from Christmas Eve for work festivities not to encroach on family commitments.

A Christmas table can take place at your work, at a restaurant, at an employee’s home, or at an event space. This is likely to depend on the company’s budget for the event. Typically, though, a bar or restaurant is to be expected. 

What should I wear?

Julefrokost attire is an exception to the Danish rule of casual dress. You may wear jeans and a T-shirt at the office, but don’t expect to show up in that casual office wear at a Christmas party and not get a few stares.

Typically, men wear shirts or a nice suit jacket. If you want to impress with a flourish, add a bow tie. A normal tie is also a nice touch. Women usually go glam and opt for glitter, sparkles and jewellery. 

What happens?

Upon entering the venue for the julefrokost (and be sure to do so on time), you can make a good first impression by shaking everyone’s hand and looking them in the eye. If it’s a big company and you don’t know them, say your first name and they will say theirs. This can feel incredibly awkward but it’s nevertheless the done thing.

Once the opening pleasantries and hand-shaking conclude, you’ll be guided to the dinner table.

Danish dinner parties often involve very long spells of sitting, but the julefrokost can take this to a new level. If it’s a larger party and you missed shaking a hand or two at entry, make sure you shake hands with those sitting in your immediate vicinity. After all, you’re going to be next to them for a long time.

When you sit down, you’re likely to find one plate stacked upon the other. That’s because there are rules about the order in which things are eaten and the proper combination of foods. Piling up your first plate with meat and sides is a real rookie mistake. That top plate is for the fish.

What’s on the menu?

There are variations including more modern, vegan-friendly menus, but the classic julefrokost begins with pickled herrings and other fish dishes. Depending upon the host’s ambitions, the selection stretches from a minimum of three to as many as a dozen different types of herring.

From there, you eat your way through a large selection of fish, hot and cold meats (including flæskesteg, roast pork, and frikadeller, meat balls), and finally cheese. 

The most common dessert is risalamande, a Danish take on French rice pudding sweetened and flavoured with vanilla and chopped almonds, and doused in warm cherry sauce. Spoiler alert: it’s delicious and you’ll probably eat too much. To add excitement, your hosts may insert a whole almond in one portion. Remember to chew carefully: the person who finds the intact almond gets a present.

When does the fun start?

A julefrokost standard is the pakkeleg game, in which every guest brings a wrapped present that usually costs no more than 50 kroner. The presents are put in the centre of the table and then you take turns rolling dice. Roll a six and you get a present.

While that sounds innocuous enough, things ratchet up to a new level in round two (keep in mind how many schnapps and glasses of wine have probably been downed by this point).

In this round, when you roll a six you get to take someone else’s present, leading to all sorts of scheming and plotting that inevitably ends with everyone opening the presents they fought so hard for only to realise that it’s mostly useless knick-knacks, purchased from Normal or Tiger on the morning of the party.

By the time this part of the julefrokost is over and the dessert plates have been cleared, all bets are off. The schnapps, juleøl (Christmas beers) and wine will be flowing and chaos may ensue.

When should I leave?

Leave when you like! However, you might want to stay until after dessert is finished to avoid being rude to the party’s planners. And remember, if you have enjoyed the sparkly cocktails and champagne at the party, make sure you have arranged for a safe way to get home.

Sign off with a tak for i aften (“thanks for tonight”) and god jul (“Happy Christmas”) as you leave – unless you’re trying for a discrete exit.

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