So is HALLOWEEN a thing now in Denmark?
Have we celebrated Halloween here always? The short answer is NO. A mere 10 years ago, most Danes hadn’t even tasted a pumpkin, let alone handled one, but then Halloween happened upon us, and now (at least in Copenhagen and the surrounding boroughs) it is a B.I.G thing.
Now, lots of kids make Jack O’lanters, lots of kids dress up and go trick-or-treating, and lots of people participate by decorating their gardens, front doors etc with Halloween stuff.
We also have FASTELAVN (see more here) which used to be the time of year kids would go around – all dressed up, and ask for ‘Slik eller Ballade’ (candy or trouble).
But HALLOWEEN has blown good old Fastelavn out of the water, and we now celebrate ghosts, zombies, witches, devils and the creatures from the dark side.
But there is a certain element of HYGGE involved as well, even though it is a festival of darkness. It is a family thing – something we value highly here in Denmark, and I think that’s why it has become so popular.
We can even go and pick our own pumpkins on the farm in the countryside – I was one of the first who rang around enquiring 5 years ago and found a farm with a few pumpkins scattered around. But now they’re a thing – we always go to KILDEBRØNDE frugtplantage for ours.
So, if you meet some scary kids (or adults EEEEK) on the 31st of October you know why.
If you fancy something not as scary you could visit TIVOLI gardens and their stunning Halloween displays, or why not go to JÆGERSBORGGADE and join in the local fun, when all the shops, restaurants put on a FAB display, or just grab a bucket and go trick-or-treating – you know you want to!!
Comments (2)
William James
31st December2023 at 07:03
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Erin Gustafson | Oregon Girl Around the World
26th October 2018 at 16:24
I find it interesting here that because Danes have Fastelavn, the Halloween costumes become super scary, spooky and evil-ish. In the States, Halloween is like the two Danish holidays smushed together. You can dress up as a princess, a superhero, a unicorn or a chicken for example. I find it fun that certain neighborhoods really get into it here and we love Tivoli at Halloween. We love Tivoli in every season really! And wish I’d known about the selv-pluk pumpkin patch! Next year. Cheers.