Denmark - traditions and customs

In order to better understand the characteristics of this country and its inhabitants, it is very important to at least superficially acquaint with the culture of Denmark . And then, having come here not just with a business visit for one or two days, but for a fairly long period, you will get a unique opportunity to penetrate the worldview of the Danes and get to know their life better. So let's look at the most vivid and unusual traditions and customs of Denmark, allowing to identify its inhabitants even on the other side of the world.

National traits of the Danes

The mentality of local residents was formed as a result of the prolonged impact of special historical, political and socio-economic factors. Therefore, some nuances of the behavior of Danes can seriously surprise tourists. Let's note the most important of them:

1. The Danish population is exceptionally law-abiding: even from very modest salaries they unquestioningly pay taxes, the amount of which is one of the highest in the world. The exception are only football fans and motorists.
2. Danes do not like loneliness, so a huge number of clubs on interests are created in the country.
3. Smoking in public places (restaurants, bars, hotels, etc.) is strictly prohibited.
4. If you are planning to attend official events, take responsibility for selecting your wardrobe. Local people like people dressed with taste.
5. An interesting fact : on a friendly feast, picking up a glass or toasting, you should look into the eyes of the interlocutors and say "skal".
6. When meeting a friend, you should greet a strong hearty handshake, and this applies to both men and women.
7. In conversations, residents of Denmark like to ask a lot of questions, but you should never in any way touch upon the subject of the private life of the interlocutor.
8. In the culture of guest visits in Denmark, it is laid down to show deep respect to the owners if you were invited to visit. To do this, give them a bottle of wine, the hostess - flowers, and the child, if it is - a small toy. And do not try to politely refuse an invitation to dinner or dinner: twice it will not be repeated.

Ethnic customs of the country

Many of the traditions of Denmark were born in times of deep antiquity, and the descendants of the ancient Danes piously watch them. Among the most interesting and colorful of them are:

1. Celebrating St. Hans' Day. He is celebrated on June 23rd and, according to custom, arrange exciting festivities on this day. In addition, as a tribute to the memory of their ancestors, huge signal bonfires are planted on the seashore.
2. The Viking Festival. This Danish holiday takes place in June-early July in Frederikssun, located on the island of Zealand. On it about 200 Danes change into traditional clothes of their ancestors - Vikings - and arrange stylized representations and even battles. Ends with all the grandiose feasts, which serve dishes and drinks of national cuisine , cooked according to old recipes. At the same time, fair and horse trades are opened in Yellerup.
3. Fastelavn. It is celebrated in early February. Earlier in the day, the barrel was hung on a sturdy rope, and a cat was put inside. Young Danes, wearing around a barrel, knocked on it with a thick club. The winner was the one whose kick forced the cat to fly out of the barrel. Today, children in different fancy dresses just knock on the barrel to which the painted cat is glued, until the bottom falls off and the candy is not poured out.
4. Ban local dogs barking at postmen. The state, even from its treasury, pays for dog food, which correspondent carriers carry with them for feeding our smaller brothers.
5. The marriage, which is still celebrated by the ancient custom of the Vikings. Lovers are considered engaged, only if their father's hands are joined by one of them. Obligatory are "gifts of love" and a ritual "dinner of consent", at which all the relatives of the couple gather. The bride and groom are recognized as spouses not immediately after the marriage registration, but only after the wedding night. At the same time, all adult members of both families lead to the bedchamber of young people - it is believed that this will protect the newly-made husband and wife from evil forces.
6. The solemn change of the guard. It takes place in the square in front of Amalienborg Palace , which is the royal residence. The ceremony includes the transfer of powers from one guard company to another and the actual change of guards in posts that are traditional in the form of royal guardsmen: heavy boots, woolen uniforms and fur hats.

Danes and various holidays love. Of the religious with a large scale, there are Trinity, Christmas, Easter and Ascension.

At Christmas, the whole family is sent to the woods behind the tree, and also made with glue from pieces of fur and wool, beech nuts and egg shells of small trolls - nisse. So that they do not mess with the house, they put a plate with a richly poured melted oil rice pudding. Christmas trees are usually decorated with garlands of hearts and even real candles. On Christmas night, the whole family is eating roast duck with red cabbage and potatoes and rice puddings, sprinkled with cream and cherry sauce. In pudding hide the almonds, and who found it during dinner has the right to a gift - a marzipan piglet. At the workplace, Christmas is celebrated during a special dinner - Julefrokost. This is a very informal event with games, songs and even flirting.

Pagan celebrations of Maslenitsa and Ivan Kupala are also popular. Also important is a celebration such as St. Martin's Day, when fried goose is cooked in Danish families. This custom comes from the depths of the centuries, when a modest Saint Martin hid from people, not wanting to become a bishop. However, geese gave him away with his gutting, so he ordered the local people to mercilessly eat them in large quantities.

Unusual traditions from the depths of centuries

Some traditions and customs of Denmark may seem foreign to the very special, for example, wedding. On the day of the wedding, always informed the barker, whose services were paid. At the same time, wedding ceremonies were often arranged by the community in a fold. When the bride and groom went to church, the croaking of a crow, the meeting of a funeral procession, the stopping of a cart or its advance by another cart were considered bad signs. Male riders who did not have a family, had to go into gallop, reach the church and return back. Assuming at least three such runs, this was to guarantee a happy family life.

When the wedding cortege approached the church, they started ringing all the bells and at the same time playing musicians: according to the belief, it protected the newlyweds from evil spirits. On the way back from the church, the bride threw bread and coins to the children, which was to ensure the wealth and birth of many children.

Also in Denmark there is a tradition to sprinkle cinnamon of single young people who have reached the age of 25. They are sprinkled with this spice from head to foot, after which a specific smell signals to representatives of the opposite sex that the object of their attraction is free.

On the Faroe Islands in Denmark there is a barbarous tradition of killing dolphins. Boys who have reached the age of 16 are committed to adulthood, participating in this ceremony along with adults. It is believed that in this way they show courage and courage, although most European countries condemn this terrible custom.