Easter in Denmark
Decorated eggs, beer and charming Danish traditions
Like Advent, Easter is a very important time of the year for Danes, and it comes with lovely traditions to share with family, friends, and loved ones. In Denmark, the Easter festivities start quite early. Houses and tables are decorated with yellow flowers and ornaments, the color that symbolizes Easter, and the air is brightened by the scent of daffodils, which bloom during the period. For most Danes, the religious aspect of Easter plays only a secondary role in these festivities: during Easter, Danes celebrate the arrival of spring – the spring subjects and the symbols of rebirth that make up the decorations in the houses are full of evidence of this! Not to be missed if you are staying with a Dane: the Easter tree, the Easter equivalent of a Christmas tree. It is, most often, a few tree branches decorated with painted eggs and other special ornaments. Bulbs from tulips, daffodils, snowdrops and other flowers purchased during the holidays are planted in the gardens after the Easter holidays.
Gækkebrev, an original Danish tradition
Gækkebrev is an old tradition dating back to the 19th century and is still very popular in Denmark. In the weeks leading up to Easter, the older children and especially the younger ones prepare letters in which they write poems or other small rhyming texts. The letters are decorated with geometric cuts, feathers, flowers – if you want to follow the tradition very closely, you should use snowdrops, the first flower of the year. The only signature affixed to this letter consists of mysterious dashes, the same number as the letters that make up the author’s name. Once the letter is written, it is submitted anonymously to family and friends, who must guess the author. If they succeed, the author must give an Easter egg to the person who discovered his or her identity. If the riddle remains unsolved, however, the author will certainly reveal his or her identity, since in this case, it is up to him or her to receive an egg as a gift from those who did not recognize him or her!
The Easter meal and beer
The Easter meal – which is served, needless to say, on an elaborately decorated table – traditionally consists of a buffet of typical dishes such as herring and other fish dishes, eggs and ham. All this is to be washed down with good beer and Danish brandy(aqvavit). To contribute to the festive atmosphere, several Danish breweries offer a special beer for sale at this time of year: Påskebryg, the Easter beer, with a slightly stronger taste than a normal lager.
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