Denmark Prepares for Christmas Season and Mortensaften Festivities

Denmark begins its annual Christmas celebrations next week across the country. Tivoli Gardens opens its holiday season in Copenhagen on November 13th. The park spent weeks removing 20,000 Halloween pumpkins. Some pumpkins went to animals at Copenhagen Zoo. Visitors can enjoy lights, ice skating, traditional treats, and gløgg. Rival park Tivoli Friheden in Aarhus opens one day later on November 14th.

Hotel D'Angleterre on Kongens Nytorv unveils its famous Christmas lights on November 13th. The reveal takes place at 4:45 pm with large crowds expected. An outdoor ice skating rink opens nearby on Kongens Nytorv at 6 pm. Tickets cost 75 kroner and include skate rental. The rink stays open daily until December 30th. At Torvehallerne, 14 gløgg brewers will compete for the national title.

Danes also celebrate Saint Martin's Eve, known locally as Mortensaften, on November 10th. Over one-third of Denmark's annual duck sales happen on this single evening. A classic meal includes roast duck, red cabbage, gravy, and glazed browned potatoes. Other Danish cities are joining the seasonal festivities next week as well. Aarhus opens a new Christmas market called Julen i Aarhus on November 13th. Den Gamle By in Aarhus opens its historic holiday displays on November 14th. Odense lights its central Christmas tree on November 14th.

Beyond holiday events, Denmark has key political and legal events scheduled next week. An American rapper brings "The Fall-Off Tour" to Royal Arena on November 9th. The High Court of Eastern Denmark starts Sanjay Shah's appeal on November 10th. Shah received a 12-year prison sentence in December 2024 for dividend tax fraud. The fraud cost the Danish state treasury 9 billion kroner. Parliament holds its first reading of a US-Greenland security agreement on November 12th. The Liberal Party Venstre hosts its national convention in Herning on November 14th. Source: The Local Denmark.