How to Study Danish Traditions

When they were asked in a recent survey, 90% of Danes said that traditions were an important part of their cultural heritage. Most Danes celebrate a number of "red letter days," or holidays that are scheduled throughout the year. Whether they have their roots in Christianity or folklore, these holidays allow Danes to keep their traditions alive by celebrating with their families and friends.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Get to know some people from Denmark. Invite a family, an au pair or a student from Denmark to celebrate a red letter day in a traditional Danish way. You might choose to celebrate Christmas, which is the main festival of the year in Denmark, or a more traditional Danish holiday such as Walpurgis Night, which falls on April 30th.
2. Join a Danish club or association. The Danish embassy in Washington, DC, can provide you with a list of these groups, which are located around the country. These groups offer a wide range of activities and workshops that will help you become familiar with Danish traditions.
3. Celebrate a traditional Danish holiday, like Walprugis Night (April 30) or Martinmas Eve (November 10). Walpurgis Night commemorates the beginning of summer; invite your friends and family, serve Danish food, light a bonfire and erect a maypole and dance around it.
4. Purchase a Danish cookbook. Food is an important part of Danish traditions. Prepare some traditional Danish fare such as klar suppe, a delicious clear soup with carrot bits, thimble size dumplings and meatballs, or brunede kartofler, a Danish specialty in which potatoes are browned in butter and sugar.