The most unusual New Year's traditions in the world. Tours to Denmark for the New Year and Christmas How the New Year is celebrated in Denmark traditions
Here it is customary to celebrate both Catholic Christmas (December 24-25) and New Year, but already the second of January is considered a normal working day. On the 31st, the Queen congratulates the Danes and guests of the country, and the Prime Minister congratulates the first.
An important part of the tradition is the famous Danish Christmas beer, which goes on sale on the first Friday of November. From this day until the New Year, a lot of fairs and festivals are held in the country.
Christmas wreaths are hung on the doors as early as December 1st. From that day on, every Sunday, candles are lit in the houses, symbolizing the Christmas star.
How to spend the New Year holidays in Copenhagen with maximum benefit?
The easiest way is to visit The Wonderful Copenhagen tourist center at Vesterbrogade, 4A immediately after arriving in the city (near the railway station and Tivoli). There are many brochures about the main attractions, and any additional information will be provided by the staff of the Center.
Assistance to tourists even includes booking tickets and hotels. In addition, here you can get discount coupons, which is important: Copenhagen is one of the most expensive cities in Europe.
Please note: although traditional markets are called Christmas markets, they do not work on Christmas in Denmark and are closed on the 24-25th. Plan an interesting excursion for these days and visit one of the great restaurants in Copenhagen. It is recommended to come a week before the New Year: the most interesting thing happens before December 24 and after December 27.
New Year's traditions and places of rest
Both in the New Year and Christmas, the main festivities are concentrated on the Town Hall Square. It is attractive not only for the magnificent architecture of the surrounding houses, but also for the many cozy restaurants and cafes.
Tivoli Park hosts a Christmas market, a winter skating rink, and musical groups perform. It is here that it is advisable to look if you come with children. There are many attractions in the park, and during this period it most of all looks like an illustration to a children's fairy tale. Many of them have their own history: the park has been operating since 1843, and one of the central carousels is more than a hundred and fifty years old!
But other areas of the city are not far behind: ice rinks are poured on the squares, and traditional candied roasted almonds are cooked right on the streets.
Weather during the New Year holidays in Denmark
Christmas in Copenhagen is usually cold: frosty, snowy weather. Therefore, it is best to make a route in such a way as to see not only the sights, but also, for example, museums where you can bask.
Although the climate in Denmark is very mild, the proximity of the sea provides not only relatively warm, but also unstable weather. Arriving here, be prepared for snowfall. But the air temperature, even in the most severe winters, rarely drops below -10°C, and on average stays at -1°C.
What to see on New Year's Eve in Copenhagen?
If the weather is sunny, be sure to drop by the Nyhavn embankment in the afternoon or evening. It is here that you will find the famous rainbow houses, which will serve as a magnificent backdrop for photographs. During the New Year holidays, not only illumination, but also magnificent fireworks become the decoration of the embankment.
The changing of the guard ceremony at the residence of the monarchs - the Amalienborg palace complex looks very impressive. Every day the guard leaves Rosenborg Castle at 11:30 sharp. Guardsmen in full dress parade through the city to the sound of an orchestra that plays a new march in every street. All this takes half an hour, and at exactly noon a solemn changing of the guard takes place in front of the gates of Amalienborg.
Any tourist in Denmark can attend a real session of Parliament. The tour schedule is on his website, but registration is optional. It is enough to go to the guest entrance to the parliament and check if there are empty seats. If there is, you will be admitted free of charge.
Excursions and other entertainment
On New Year's Eve, you can go out of town: tourist routes around Bernstorf and Fredensborg castles are popular. If you are going to celebrate the New Year in Copenhagen, do not forget about the city museums:
1) The State Museum of Art, offering the attention of visitors to the canvases of famous European masters;
2) National Museum;
3) Thorvaldsen Museum;
4) the New Carlsberg Glyptothek, with a huge collection of works of art from the ancient world;
5) Guinness World Records Museum.
Be sure to buy the Copenhagen Museum Card, which will give you the opportunity to visit more than seven dozen museums for free. In addition, you can use it for free on public transport and get discounts when renting a car.
Copenhagen and children's holidays
Celebrating the New Year in Denmark with children is a pleasure, because there are two Santa Clauses here (Julemanden and Julenisse), who amuse the kids with might and main. Numerous circus performances are complemented by entertainment programs at the local aquarium, the richest in Europe.
Be sure to drop by the Langelinie pier, “visit” the Little Mermaid, and take a picture of the baby against her background. It is often called the No. 1 attraction even for adults - what can we say about kids then!
There is a zoo here, and from the territory of the Frederiksberg Garden bordering it, surrounding the palace of the same name, part of the enclosures is viewed for free. In addition, the Deer Park is open to everyone, where the real royal deer, almost tame, graze. It houses the Bakken amusement park - however, with a paid entrance.
Property rental: what for how much?
When planning to celebrate the New Year in Copenhagen, it is best to pay attention to housing in the area of Tivoli Park or the railway station. It is not recommended to look for an apartment in Nørebro, Tinbjerg and Sydhavn - Europeans do not settle here, and the criminal situation is tense.
The cost per day will, of course, be higher than with a long-term rental, but lower than in hotels.
You can look for options in advance, through the Internet or acquaintances, or, upon arrival, look at the local University and look through the bulletin board. In the second case, you may be able to save additional money.
New Year's tours and resorts in Denmark
You can visit the country on your own, and as part of a special New Year's tour. Its average price is about 900 euros (depending on the duration, program and other factors). In winter, the number of options is reduced: seaside resorts are not very popular at this time. It is best to celebrate the New Year in Copenhagen - this will allow you to fully feel the local flavor.
You can visit Denmark as part of a tour of other European capitals. In this case, you will get a lot of impressions in just a few days. Everyone celebrates the onset of the new year in their own way, and the tourist discovers the facets of culture hidden in other seasons.
What must be done during the New Year holidays in Denmark?
New Year in Denmark is a bright and memorable holiday. It can be fun to celebrate it both on your own and in the family circle.
Arriving at this time in Copenhagen, you must:
- Order a local gleg in one of the restaurants or cafes - a drink made from warmed red wine and spices. There are also non-alcoholic options - from juice;
- Try cinnamon rice pudding;
- Buy a souvenir or something more serious on Stregert - the central pedestrian street of the city, which has turned into a realm of boutiques and souvenir shops. By the way, this is the longest shopping street in Europe;
- Visit the Tivoli amusement park;
- Order some of the famous Danish sandwiches in a restaurant, which are not an appetizer, but the basis of local cuisine.
Country of Shakespeare and Andersen
Denmark is the cradle of the Germanic tribes and their unique culture. Arriving in Copenhagen for the New Year, you can see how reverent the Danes are about their own history. According to the results of several independent surveys, it is the locals who consider themselves the happiest people in Europe and in the world.
Christmas in Danish is "jul" (pronounced "juul"). In Denmark, these are the most important celebrations, the traditions of which have developed many centuries ago. The holiday was mainly associated with religious events. This aspect is still present today, but has acquired new shades. Modern Danish Christmas is an important event in the life of the whole family, an occasion to get together with relatives and close friends. Shops are overflowing with goods so that you can buy a gift for every taste and wealth.
The holiday of Christmas in Denmark has a long history. Even in pagan times in northern European countries, there was a custom that has come down to our times, to celebrate an important holiday with a hearty dinner. In the Middle Ages, after the Christianization of the Danes, Catholic traditions were mixed with the ancient customs of the northerners, in particular, a ritual associated with candles was practiced for a long time, which, along with food, were served to the poor as alms. Today's custom of decorating Christmas in cities as a festival of light originates precisely from the Middle Ages.
In the countryside, it is still believed that otherworldly beings rule during the Christmas holidays, the relationship with which the future harvest depends on. For little magicians, bread is left on the table, which lies there until the end of the celebrations, and in spring the crumbs are scattered into the ground along with the seeds. After the reform of 1536, when Denmark turned into a Protestant state, the new Church tried to fight against customs, both pagan and Catholic.
The Danes did not part with their usual way of life too quickly and willingly. On the eve of Christmas, pigs were slaughtered in the villages, sweet pies were baked, beer was brewed, and candles were made. In all houses, a general cleaning was carried out, after which each family went to the bathhouse. Pets received more food, and employees were treated to apple pie and a hot alcoholic drink "gløgg" consisting of red wine, "snaps" vodka, lots of spices, raisins and almonds.
Gradually, new attributes of Christmas were introduced: the custom of decorating a Christmas tree came to Denmark from Germany. Christmas decorations were paper figurines, which were made by all family members. Also, bags of sweets, apples, candles and state flags were hung on the branches. Christmas gifts were piled under the tree. The host of the holiday is the Danish Santa Claus "Julenissen" - a very small old man with a white beard, dressed in gray clothes, red socks and a hat, shod in wooden shoes.
According to tradition, with this creature, capable of all sorts of tricks, you need to behave very well, leave his favorite dish in the attic - rice with milk. Old people live for hundreds of years surrounded by numerous relatives. At the beginning of the 20th century, another Christmas and New Year character, Santa Claus, entered Denmark from the USA, the tradition came from England to decorate front doors with mistletoe or holly wreaths, and after the Second World War, the custom of lighting candles entered - the crown of Advent, organize processions in honor of St. Lucia on December 13th.
Today in Denmark, Christmas begins with Advent, which means "coming." Four Sundays before Christmas Eve, a coniferous wreath is prepared, decorated with red or purple silk ribbons, in which 4 candles are placed. Then the first candle is lit, on subsequent Sundays all the others will be lit one at a time. December 1 is the first day of the holidays, when the kids begin to open the Christmas Calendars, of which there are a great many types, and each child has his own.
Behind 24 windows (December 1-24) small gifts or sweets are hidden. Calendars are sold everywhere, and the proceeds from their sale go to charitable causes, including helping children from developing countries. Another of the new traditions is the television children's calendar, which airs one episode a day until Christmas Eve, December 23, and tells about gospel events corresponding to the current date.
On December 24, Danish families gather for dinner, the main dishes of which are roast pork, goose or duck. For dessert - a rice dish with crushed almonds and hot cherry syrup. Anyone who finds a whole almond nut on their plate will receive an additional gift.
The New Year is also celebrated at home with family or with friends in a cafe. At 12 o'clock at night turn on the radio or TV to hear the government's congratulations on the New Year. People take to the streets, light sparklers, start firecrackers, the festivities last until dawn. The Christmas holidays end on January 6th. Candles are extinguished, the Christmas tree is taken apart, decorations are removed and stored until next Christmas.
It was no accident that Hans Christian Andersen became a great storyteller, because his homeland resembles a magical kingdom in which there is a place for good sorcerers, elves, and beautiful princesses. Especially if you arrive on New Year's Eve and celebrate your favorite winter holiday along with thousands of other lucky people who chose a Scandinavian destination at the end of December for a vacation or vacation.
Let's take a look at the map
On the globe, Denmark is easy to find in the North, but, despite the apparent proximity to the Arctic, the kingdom lies in a fairly temperate maritime climate zone. The proximity of the Baltic and North Seas determines the weather in most of the kingdom:
- Winter in Denmark is usually mild and quite warm, but a large amount of precipitation does not allow us to call New Year's weather particularly comfortable.
- Sufficiently strong winds from the sea are another not very pleasant component of the Danish winter weather. A warm windbreaker, a scarf and a hat must be present in the suitcase of a tourist who decides to fly to Denmark in winter.
- The average air temperature in January is at , or - about 0°C, but during the day the mercury column can rise up to +5°C, and at night it can drop to -7°C.
There are almost no sunny days in Denmark in winter, but before the Christmas holidays, New Year's illumination will more than provide you with a good mood, which the Danes use to decorate streets, squares, houses and office buildings.
How is New Year's Eve celebrated in Denmark?
There are several symbols of Christmas and New Year holidays in Andersen's homeland, but the very first one, which appears earlier than others, is Christmas beer. It begins to be brewed in early November, and on the first Friday in November, Christmas markets open throughout the kingdom.
On December 1, the entrance doors of Danish houses begin to be decorated with Christmas wreaths, and in the evenings, candles are lit on the windowsills, symbolizing the Star of Bethlehem.
New Year's Copenhagen smells of roasted nuts, hot mulled wine and gingerbread cookies. After tasting them, head to the Amalienborg palace complex. Every day at noon at the residence of the Danish monarchs, a solemn ceremony of changing the guard of honor takes place. You can meet the guards at 11.30 at Rosenborg Castle and march along with them to the gates of the palace.
The main celebrations in Denmark take place on Christmas, but on New Year's Eve the Danes do not miss the opportunity to meet friends, sit at the festive table and stroll along the elegant streets.
On the evening of December 31, the Queen traditionally congratulates the Danes and the New Year's Eve dinner usually begins after her television performance at 18.00.
Fish, rice pudding, mashed potatoes with sauerkraut and handmade sweets are sure to be on the Christmas and New Year menu of the inhabitants of the kingdom. An almond nut is baked in the pudding and the one who got the coveted piece with a surprise becomes the king of the table. The main drink on New Year's Eve is champagne, and an appetizer for it is a traditional pie with the complex name kransekage in the shape of a cone.
After dinner, the Danes put the old and unnecessary dishes, which they collect all year round, into a bag and go to visit friends. The dishes are noisily beating on the threshold, but the owners not only do not get angry, but also welcome the old tradition. The Danes have a sign that luck in the coming year directly depends on the number of fragments.
The most beautiful illumination is on the capital's Nyhavn embankment. It is here that it is best to take places on New Year's Eve in order to watch the festive fireworks at exactly midnight.
Great fun for little guests
If you come to celebrate the New Year in Denmark with your children, go to Tivoli Park. Starting from the first days of December, a festive fair is noisy here, musicians perform, and everyone who wants to skate, which can be rented at the Tivoli skating rink. The attractions of the park boast a rich history. Some carousels are more than one and a half hundred years old and on New Year's Eve they look like they have descended from the pages of Andersen's fairy tales.
In Denmark, the New Year mood for kids is provided by two Santa Clauses at once. They are called Ulemanden and Ulenisse and not a single young tourist will refuse to take a photo with them. You are guaranteed to meet frost brothers in the aquarium of the Danish capital, located a few kilometers north of Copenhagen at Jacob Fortlingsvej, 1 Kastrup. There Ulemanden and Yulenisse amuse the audience, give gifts, participate in the performance of clowns and illusionists. In the cafe of the Charlottenlund park, where the oceanarium was built, you can arrange a festive New Year's dinner by booking a table with a sea view.
You can take a memorable photo on New Year's Eve in Denmark on the embankment near the Little Mermaid, and in the Deer Park you will like the royal deer willingly posing for photo hunters.
Useful information for travelers
The capitals and Denmark are connected both by direct flights and connecting flights:
- The cheapest way to get from Copenhagen is to buy a ticket on board Air Baltic. If you book early, you can meet the 200 euros. The docking will be at, and the flight time without taking it into account will be 3.5 hours. Flights are operated from Sheremetyevo.
- Aeroflot also fly directly from the same Moscow airport to Copenhagen. You have to spend 2.5 hours on the way, and pay 300 euros for a round-trip ticket.
- Finns often offer inexpensive options with a transfer in their own capital. The cost of the flight - - Copenhagen will be 250 euros if you take care of tickets in advance.
Significantly save on air travel helps electronic subscription on the websites of the air carriers you are interested in. It can be issued directly to your email inbox, and you will be the first to know about all the news, special offers and discounts.
- Upon arrival in Copenhagen, contact the visitor center located near the entrance to the Tivoli amusement park at Vesterbrogade, 4A. The center is called The Wonderful Copenhagen and its employees will be happy to tell you about all the New Year events planned for the holidays in the Danish capital.
The Tourist Information Center offers discount coupons for attractions and excursions. Do not neglect the opportunity to save money, because the Danish capital is one of the most expensive cities in the Old World!
One of the most magical and beloved holidays in the whole world is Christmas and New Year. These holidays are always eagerly awaited by both adults and children, and they are also specially prepared for them. - the most important holiday, it has been celebrated here for more than a thousand years. Yes and New Year in Denmark is a celebration of magic and miracles. And the Danes know how to rejoice, because according to the results of a study by the British University of Leicester, the happiest people on earth live in Denmark. If you want to see how happy people enjoy their favorite holidays, go to Denmark for Christmas and New Year. And right now I invite you to a Christmas and New Year trip to Denmark online.
It all started in the 960s, when King Harald Blue-tooth himself was baptized and made Christianity the state religion. So the roots of the celebration of Christmas in Denmark go all the way back to the Viking Age. However, no matter what is discussed in this country - history, traditions, the character of the Danes - you can see the features of the Vikings in everything. And they are rightfully proud of all this.
They begin to prepare for Christmas and New Year in Denmark on the first Friday of November. It is on this day that the Danes begin to brew a dark Christmas beer, slightly sweet in taste. And from this day begins the transformation of all Danish cities and towns.
And real miracles happen. All sorts of fairy-tale characters appear and come to life in the windows, and sometimes they even arrange whole performances.
By Christmas in Denmark they are very reverent, every Danish house becomes fabulously beautiful. From December 1 until Christmas, Danish houses hang Christmas wreaths on the doors and candles burn in the windows. Such a tradition. Advent begins in Denmark.
Every Sunday before Christmas, the Danes light candles on "Christmas wreaths", which each housewife creates with her own hands. There will be four in total.
Christmas candles symbolize the Christmas star - this is one of the very ancient Christian traditions. So the “stars” are lit in Denmark every Sunday.
From December 1 to December 24, a special program "Christmas Calendar" is on television ( Julekalender). And in every family, children are given this very “Christmas calendar”. And not simple, it has 24 pockets in which every day Santa Claus puts a gift. That's the joy of children! It is understandable why people in Denmark love Christmas and New Year so much.
And here comes Christmas. Stunning aromas are carried everywhere - this is a festive table being prepared. Danes spend a lot of money and time on Christmas decorations, the Christmas table and, of course, gifts.
On Christmas night, two large candles should burn on the festive table, and another one is lit on the windowsill - this is a guiding star for lonely travelers.
And of course, the most favorite time for children, and not only for children, is the time of gifts. On this day, gifts are no longer given by Santa Claus, but by parents.
There is another interesting Christmas tradition in Denmark. It is necessary to take a spoon with porridge to the attic for the keeper of the house - the gnome. They are called nisse in Denmark. Of course, at Christmas, you should definitely treat your nisse so that it protects the house and family from trouble.
Gnomes are very much loved here, their figurines of various types are bought every year and "settled" in their house for the holidays. Christmas and New Year in Denmark turn into a real kingdom of gnomes. And every year this collection is sure to replenish.
But the New Year in Denmark is also celebrated with pleasure and prepared for it. Fireworks are launched everywhere, and the annual New Year's speech of the Queen of Denmark is necessarily broadcast on television.
At midnight on Danish television, the New Year's Eve is announced by the Copenhagen City Hall clock. Like us, the Danes congratulate each other, drink champagne, make wishes. The obligatory New Year's dish is kransekage pie. It consists of several cakes of different sizes and has the shape of a cone.
There is a place in Copenhagen where all Danish children dream of going, especially on Christmas Eve - the old Tivoli amusement park.
This is a fabulous country with attractions, cafes, restaurants. And from November 16, Tivoli is transformed, filled with Christmas markets and turns into a real Christmas fairy tale.
The largest carousel in Tivoli is 150 years old.
Visiting Tivoli on New Year's Eve is a very expensive event. There are so many temptations here that it is simply impossible to resist. Parents so want to please their child without ruining the family budget. This is not an easy task. Therefore, some families even specifically take out a bank loan for Christmas expenses.
But Christmas and New Year in Denmark are the most beloved holidays, so they don’t spare money for this.
If you want to plunge into the atmosphere of universal happiness, magic and miracle, go to Denmark for Christmas and New Year, and you will definitely bring a piece of this happiness with you.
Unfortunately, travel agencies rarely offer tours to Denmark. But is this an obstacle for the traveler? Just book flights and hotels using the search forms on the right or on the page, and you can go for your piece of happiness.
And do not forget to choose and book excursions to your taste with the best guides in Denmark
Christmas tree in Denmark
Christmas in Denmark is celebrated on the night of December 24-25, but the festive atmosphere is already set in early December, and permeates it all.
During the festive period, everything around reminds the Danes of the approach of a miracle. Preparation for the holiday begins on the first Friday of November. The inscription God Jul appears everywhere, which is posted in all shopping centers, in transport, on the streets and shop windows: in all public places. Jul is Danish for Christmas, literally translated as turning or wheel. Throughout the city, as in private homes, traditional garlands, flashing lights, balls, tinsel and other toys are hung. Danish cities are becoming one big holiday.
In many Danish families, on December 1, it is customary to hang a special Christmas calendar, which is a box with 24 windows, one for each pre-holiday day in December, and a gift is hidden in each window. Children open one window every day and receive a treasured gift. On the last, 24th day, something special is prepared. 
Christmas tree candles
Four Sundays before Christmas, another pre-holiday custom starts: lighting candles. Every Sunday from now until Christmas, one candle is added. On Christmas night, candles are placed on the table and on the windowsill, where they act as a guiding star.
The Danes cannot be called a very religious people, even on Christmas there are not very many people in churches, but the church here is a state institution.
On December 24 and 25, all Danes sit down at the festive tables in their cozy apartments, so it’s hard to meet anyone on the street. Shops are closed, and everything necessary (gifts, food) is prepared in advance. Christmas is celebrated here with the family, a festive table is set, on which baked pork, turkey or duck are always present. Herring is also put on the table, and rice is served as a dessert. An interesting custom is associated with it: one almond is put into it, and the one who gets it becomes the king of the evening.
Gifts lie in the center of the hall, and round dances and singing of Christmas songs, the texts of which express gratitude for the past year and wishes for the future, become a favorite family entertainment. It is worth noting separately the beauty of Danish Christmas trees: they are very fluffy and large. True, they do not stay in apartments for a long time, already on December 25, the Danes are in a hurry to get rid of green beauties. 
christmas turkey
As for presenting gifts, children in Denmark usually know that the main Christmas gifts are made by parents, and the children have the opportunity to ask for what they want in their notes in advance. Santa Claus, on the other hand, pleases children with little surprises every day during the pre-holiday period.
One of the most important Christmas characters in Denmark is the gnome. It is an analogue of our brownie. At Christmas, a spoonful of porridge is brought to his attic, thereby appeasing him so that he takes care of the harvest in the new year and stands guard over the home from all adversity. Of course, it is customary to buy gnome figurines for Christmas, and new ones every year.
