Danish Holidays 2010 – Denmark Celebrations
Denmark has several public holidays in 2010. Below you will find a list of the different occasions and when they are celebrated. Most are held in the early part of the year and there is a long dry spell until November and December.
January 1, 2010 is Nytaarsdag or New Year’s Day and all businesses are closed on that day.
February 14, 2010 is Fastelavn or Shrovetide, which is a celebration where children dress up and hit a barrel with a stick. Fastelavn is celebrated on the Sunday before Lent. Businesses do not close on this day.
April 1st 2010 is Aprilsnar or April Fools’ Day and like in many other countries this is a day to play pranks on your friends and colleagues. Everyone seems to jump into action, even the media and politicians.
Paaske or Easter consists of 4 days and all businesses are closed during this time. Businesses open on Saturdays between the 4 holidays.
April 1, 2010 is Skaertorsdag or Holy Thursday, in commemoration of the Last Supper.
April 2, 2010 is Langfredag or Good Friday in commemoration of the Crucifixion of Christ
April 4, 2010 is Paaskedag or Easter Sunday which commemorates the Resurrection of Jesus
April 5, 2010 is 2 Paaskedag or the second day of Easter and comes on the Monday after Easter Sunday.
April 30, 2010 is called St. Bededag or Great Day of Prayer and is to celebrate the various days of prayer and is always the fourth Friday after Easter. All businesses are closed. It is a tradition to go to the local bakery the night before St. Bededag and buy “varme hveder” or wheat rolls to eat with melted butter and jam. On April 29 you’ll find long lines at your bakery for these treats – join in, because not much else happens on this holiday.
May 13, 2010 is Kristi Himmelfartsdag or Ascension Day, celebrated 40 days after Easter Sunday.
May 23, 2010 is Pinsedag or Pentecost Sunday, which falls 50 days after Easter and celebrates the birth of the church.
May 24, 2010 is the second Pinsedag or Whit Monday and is part of the Whitsun holiday. Businesses are closed.
June 5, 2010 is Grundlovsdag: or Constitution Day and celebrates the signing of the Danish Constitution in 1849. All businesses are closed.
June 23, 2010 is Sankthansaften or Midsummer Night and is celebrated with bonfires throughout Denmark; It is not a public holiday, where businesses close.
November 10, 2010 is Mortens Aften, which is a unique celebration in Denmark. The Danes will eat goose or duck for dinner in honor of the legend of Bishop Martin of Tours. The story goes that the missionary hid in a goose barn to avoid being consecrated a bishop. But the geese began to cluck and gave away his hiding place. He then declared that every November 10, geese should be served as the main meal to get back at them for their disappointment.
December 13, 2010 is Saint Lucia’s Day and is preceded by parades of girls dressed in white and carrying lighted candles. This is based on a Swedish tradition, which celebrates the martyr, Saint Lucy, who distributed food to beggars before the New Year’s fast.
The parade is led by a girl, Lucia Queen, who wears a crown of candles, and all the girls sing Lucia’s song. It is worth attending a religious service on this day to be part of this celebration.
December 24, 2010 is Christmas Eve Juleaftensdag, the day most Danes celebrate Christmas. You can find more information about a traditional Danish Christmas below.
December 25, 2010 is July or Christmas Day
December 26, 2010 is 2 Juledag or Boxing Day and stores are not open except grocery stores. Most of the stores will open on the 27th and will have the Christmas sales.
December 31, 2010 is Nytaarsaftensdag or New Year’s Eve. Most businesses close at noon; the shops are open until 5 or 6 in the evening. Some stay open later.