Press Feature
September 2006

Traditional Christmas in Copenhagen

Copenhagen is a Christmas city, not just because Greenland (part of Denmark) is the home of the 'Julemand' (Santa) and Denmark the home of the Christmas stamp (and indeed it is), but because this holiday is the most eagerly anticipated by all Danes who have passed down its simple pleasures and traditions from generation to generation.

Christmas comes to Nyhavn - the picturesque canal filled with moored sailing boats. From November 17th until December 23rd Nyhavn will be full of yuletide with a Christmas Market. Booths selling souvenirs, apple dumplings, glögg and foods will create an atmosphere of old time traditions. On November 18th between 1 and 3 pm, ten breweries will be giving out samples of this year's Yule brew accompanied by a band playing traditional jazz by the memorial anchor.

To see one of Europe's most walkable cities at its holiday best, start out at Kongens Nytorv. On the square stands the venerable d'Angleterre Hotel, gracefully decorated inside and out to evoke an old-fashioned Christmas. The Bang & Olufsen world of sound and vision flagship store is located on Kongens Nytorv as is the Royal Theatre, scene of holiday-inspired productions by the Royal Danish Ballet.

Get Energized
Next door to the d'Angleterre Hotel, Hviids Vinstue has been serving libations to locals since 1723. As historic and evocative a place as you'll find in Copenhagen, its leaded-glass windows, dark beams, time-worn wooden tables (and bartenders), and photos yellowed over the years attract old and young patrons alike. Traditional holiday drinks include glögg, a potent combination of hot red wine, aquavit, cinnamon, cloves, raisins, and slivers of almonds (the best glögg in town is served at Hviid's) and Tuborg and Carlsberg's specially brewed, dark, and strong Julebryg, or Yule brew. On 3 November at 08:59 pm the Yule brew is delivered in horse-drawn wagons decked out with garlands and Danish flags, with Santa-capped staff handing out free samples in a selection of local cafés, bars, etc.

If you need more energy, the city's restaurants feature menus with traditional Danish holiday foods: glazed ham, pork, or delightfully lean Danish duck served with red cabbage, prunes and small glazed potatoes, accompanied by a dessert called Ris a l'amande (it's like a rice pudding with a good-luck almond inside, topped with warm cherry sauce).

Go Ghopping
Are you more in the mood for shopping, start off at the department store Magasin where you will find Denmark's largest selection of Christmas decoration in the underground store.

Next catch Strøget and explore the most elegant end of this famous, mile-long pedestrian thoroughfare, festive with holiday garlands in swatches of green trimmed in tiny lights with a big red heart at the center. These garlands are made out of genuine fir twigs, not plastic! A true Danish design gift, reasonably priced, for yourself or your beloved would be a Bodum. In the four storey Bodum House you may pick from a big selection of every thing from stationary to laundry baskets. On your way up Strøget to the Illum department store's Christmas shop (on the fourth floor, filled with myriad gift and decoration selections) you'll be tempted by international brand stores as Cerutti, Gucci and Hermés.

Royal Copenhagen Christmas Tables
At Amagertorv (Amager Square) with its lyrical Stork Fountain, stands the Royal Copenhagen complex: The Holmegaard Glass, George Jensen Flagship store and Illums Bolighus make out an architectural triumvirate of seventeenth-century houses together with modern incarnations of the Danish architect Torsten Thorup filled with indelibly beautiful designs in silver, porcelain, and crystal, and connected by internal walkways.
This is the place to purchase a Bing & Grøndahl Christmas plate or a specially designed (but not expensive) holiday dessert spoon and fork, a Danish tradition since 1910.

Every year elaborate, beautifully laid out Christmas tables are on display on the first floor with a new theme each year. The tradition began in 1963 and is very popular. The theme of the 2006 tables is Christmas in the Metropolis of the World and will be displayed from Friday, November 24th until the end of December.
'Seconds' are sold for 20 to 50 percent below the retail price, a true value and an opportunity to stock up on gifts that will be treasured for years to come. The Royal Copenhagen Patisserie serves traditional holiday sweets, such as brunkager, crisp, flat ginger cookies, ideal with a steaming cup of hot chocolate or glögg.

Exclusive Decorations for the Christmas Tree
At the Illums Bolighus, the center for Danish design, is its country-themed Christmas Store, with ornament-laden baskets, miniature crystals trees, near-life-size straw animals, and special decorations created by Danish artist Jette Frölich.

Walk off Strøget
Now Strøget is getting crowded with shoppers mainly looking for clothes, so if you are in for a more quiet walk and a unique gift, make your way one block south to Strædet and explore the antique shops lining it. Nearby, at Ny Vestergade 10, the National Museum has a large gift shop filled with toys; replicas of Viking jewellery in silver, gold, and bronze; amber jewellery; models of castles, Medieval villages, Viking objects and Viking ships.

Catch up at the City Hall Square
Almost at the end of your Copenhagen Christmas walk, a lone evergreen, decorated with white lights and woven paper hearts, dominates the sweeping City Hall Square. At the Boghallen bookstore in the Politiken building nearby, you can also pick up a volume of the complete fairy tales of Hans Christian Andersen for that special child on your holiday list.

Tivoli Christmas Market
From Town Hall Square, follow Vesterbrogade to Tivoli itself. (The 2006 Xmas market is from November 15th and continues until December 30th with a short break December 24th and 25th) In Tivoli, walkways greet you with gaily painted stalls selling small gift items and souvenirs (your best bets are the Danish handicrafts and foods). Pony rides and other amusements are available for children and you can admire a colourful light show on a part of the Tivoli Lake. The atmosphere is much like that of a small carnival, filled with the pungent smells of funnel cakes and glögg and the strains of familiar holiday songs. Linger over a traditional meal or indulge in a quick pick-me-up at one of its restaurants - try Café Ketchup, Fregatten or Ultimo - and take a minute to peek into Bagscenen, the cosy bar tucked underneath the Glass House Theatre where the Crazy Christmas Cabaret show is on in November and December (the 2006 title is: 'Bored of the Rings'!). In the Tivoli Concert Hall a hip hop version of the Nutcracker is put on, a performance for the whole family.

Another traditional market is in the Grey Hall at Christiania, the alternative hippie district. Unusual and unique handmade products are on sale from December 10th to 20th.

And finally, do not overlook a particularly rich source of gifts and Danish treasures - and possibly surprising, if you are a first-timer to this part of the world; Copenhagen Airport. Its shops offer an impressive array of holiday shopping possibilities - everything including designer perfumes, George Jensen and Royal Copenhagen items, LEGO blocks, cuddly down comforters, and even Yule Beer.

Click here to read more about Christmas in Copenhagen

Further Information:
Wonderful Copenhagen, tel.: +45 3325 7400
Director of Public Relations, Mette Dahl-Jensen, mdj@woco.dk
Project Manager, Camilla Kjærsgaard, ckj@woco.dk
International Press Officer, Henrik Thierlein, hth@woco.dk
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