JUL

Christmas, or Jul (pronounced YULE), as the Danes call it, is the most wonderful time of the year in Denmark.  The entire country becomes a winter wonderland, and Jul traditions can be seen in every Danish household.  In America, the typical sign that Christmas is upon us is that one radio station that insists on playing Christmas music the day after Thanksgiving. However, in Denmark, they put our sad radio to shame.

J-Dag is always the first Friday in November and the official start of the Christmas season.  Why, you ask?  THE CHRISTMAS BEERS ARE HERE!

This day is huge, not just for beer lovers, but for most of Copenhagen.  The entire city is lit up with Christmas lights, fake snow, and a bunch of drunk and happy Danish people in blue santa hats.  The Tuborg Christmas beer becomes readily available in all bars and clubs and it is a night full of fun and spirit. So of course my friends and I had to attend, it was a Danish tradition, we had no other choice.

We walked to the street with most of the bars and right at 8:59pm on the dot, we see the truck.  The back of the truck opens and women and men in blue outfits come jumping out with cases of beer, hats, and flyers.  There are men dressed in huge snow man costumes, and a flurry of fake snow(foam) flying everywhere.  It was truly magical, hilarious, and a great time.  We were so happy that we were given the opportunity to experience a tradition that has lived on for years in the Danish culture. 

J-Dag goes down as one of my best nights in Copenhagen.  The city was alive like I had never seen it before.

 

This is the original commercial that Tuborg used to advertise the coming of their Christmas beers in 1984 and they still use it today.

Other big Jul tradtitions include:

•    Exchanging small gifts with family every Sunday leading to Christmas
•  Eating the traditional Christmas dinner (roast pork with crackling skin, purple cabbage, caramelized potatoes, and this delectable brown sauce) *my mouth is watering*
• Rice Porridge with crushed almonds (there is always one whole almond hiding inside and whomever finds it gets a gift)
• The Christmas Market (these are found in most of Europe and originated in Germany)
•  Celebrating on Christmas Eve
•  Oh….and Æbleskiver. Yum Yum Yum.

ÆBLESKIVER

If ever looking for another country to spend Christmas in, go to Denmark. The spirit will surely not be lost.