New Year's Eve in Denmark is synonymous with customs and traditions, while reflecting on the past and looking ahead to the coming year.
Many people place huge value on seeing in the New Year in the company of friends and loved ones, preparing and eating a meticulously-prepared three-course meal and following time-honoured traditions before drinking and partying into the night.
While major cities like Copenhagen and Aarhus will be crowded with partygoers, many others will celebrate the occasion with close friends and family at home.
Here are some of the pillars of many a Danish New Year.
The 90th Birthday
Also known as Dinner for One, this ancient black-and-white comedy sketch is shown year after year in Danish homes as the old year ticks to a close. It also happens to be our favourite Danish New Year tradition.
No matter what else you do on New Year's Eve in Denmark, there is one thing nearly all parties have in common: an 11-minute television interlude to watch 'Dinner for One'. Virtually unknown in the rest of the world, the British-made skit from 1963 is loved in Germany and Scandinavia – not least in Denmark and Sweden.
Don’t forget to join in with the catchphrases: “The same procedure as last year, Miss Sophie?”
“The same procedure as every year, James!”
The King's speech
Every year since 1972, Queen Margrethe has addressed the nation at 6pm on December 31st, just as New Year festivities are really getting into full swing.
That happened for the final time in 2023, when the Queen's New Year speech included the dramatic announcement of her abdication. King Frederik subsequently succeeded to the throne, which means 2024 will be the first New Year speech to be given by the new king.
The New Year speech actually predates Queen Margrethe and began in 1941 as a radio address by King Christian X.
Queen Margrethe's annual messages addressed ethical and cultural topics, as well as the need for solidarity in society. In the past, she often mentioned what she and her late husband, Prince Henrik, had been up to over the last year.
Danes at home would often spice up their New Year proceedings by trying to predict the colour of the Queen’s dress, how many ornaments were be placed on her desk and even how many times she will stumble over her words, with the person who made the most correct predictions winning a prize.
Some of this will undoubtedly change under King Frederik, who will have his own individual style. The king has, however, promised to sign off with the famous “God save Denmark” (Gud bevare Danmark) line. For Danes at home, this signals the end of the royal speech and time for dinner.
Jump into the New Year
When the big moment comes, many people will get up on a chair so that they can literally jump into the new year.
Given the amount of schnapps likely to have been consumed by this point, ankles and coffee tables alike are put at considerable risk by this custom -- but that doesn't make it any less fun.
Fireworks
Once the clock approaches 8-9pm, a steady flow of fireworks will begin by those impatient souls who can’t wait for the chimes of midnight. And we’re not talking about professional firework shows here, but rather the private arsenal of Danes who spend the evening firing off increasingly earsplitting rockets.
READ ALSO: What are the new rules for fireworks in Denmark this New Year?
At midnight, this pyrotechnic show is taken up more than just a notch – the thunderous sound of firecrackers keeps the skies alive well into the early morning hours.
For those out and about, the party can easily run until the sun rises on 2024 and all of those New Year’s resolutions beckon as a new decade begins.
Godt nytår!
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