![]() ![]() ![]() But even still, you may be surprised to hear about the following Fastelavn tradition, which was quite popular in the past. If you’re familiar with Halloween, you’ll know that many people are wary of spotting a sort kat (black cat) on this day. You may be wondering why the children who break the Carnival barrel and spill the candy are called the “cat king” and “cat queen.” What do cats have to do with Fastelavn or candy, for that matter? → Have we given you a sweet tooth? Then head over to our Culture Class lesson on Sweets and Desserts! Many bakeries even give customers the option to customize their own Shrovetide bun based on their personal preferences. These Fastelavn buns can also be sprinkled with confectioners sugar or have additional sweet toppings. The most popular Fastelavn food is Shrovetide buns, which are a sweet pastry containing some type of frosting or glaze on top and a delicious cream or jam filling in the middle. Children take turns hitting the barrel, and two winners are named: the kattedronning (cat queen) who causes all of the candy to spill out and the kattekonge (cat king) who finishes completely breaking open the barrel.īecause the Carnival holiday is traditionally associated with the Lenten fast as well as wintertime food scarcity, food is a major part of this holiday. In a fashion similar to hitting a piñata, children beat a barrel full of candy. waking their parents up on Christmas morning, right? This sets the tone for the day! With the Fastelavnsris, they whip or “flog” their parents awake-sort of like children in the U.S. On the morning of Fastelavn, a common tradition among children is to make a Fastelavnsris (Carnival whip) using twigs or branches, and to decorate it with things like feathers or eggshells. Popular Fastelavn costumes include a fe (fairy), princesse (princess), superhelt (superhero), or other eventyrfigur (fairytale character). Dressed in the forklædning (disguise) of their choice, the children sing this song as a playful warning that they’ll cause trouble if they don’t receive sweets! (Talk about hangry…) If the words “Trick or Treat” mean anything to you, then you’ll resonate with the Danish tradition of singing the Fastelavn song Candy or Trouble ( Slik Eller Ballade). Oftentimes, Fastelavn is compared to Halloween-and for good reasons! This holiday is primarily geared toward children, who dress up in costumes and ask their neighbors for sweets or money. Here are the holiday dates for the next ten years. ![]() → If you would like to learn the names of different religions in Danish, then head over to our Religion vocabulary list!īecause the Fastelavn date is determined by the dates of Easter and Lent, it varies from year to year. This is why the heavy consumption of pastries is so popular on Carnival-these sweet treats were traditionally made in order to make use of ingredients like butter and eggs that would otherwise have gone bad. In many nations, Carnival began as a way to both indulge before the forty-day Lenten fasting season and to use up any perishable food items. Denmark was likely introduced to this holiday via immigrants and missionaries, and over time, adapted the holiday to suit its Lutheran Christian religiosity (which was adopted in 1536). The Christian Carnival holiday began in the Middle Ages, though it likely stemmed from pagan traditions. The Danish Fastelavn has less of a religious connotation than Carnival traditions in other countries do, with a greater focus on festivities and fun. It takes place seven weeks prior to Easter and, while not a public holiday, is widely celebrated throughout the country. But there are some…fascinating…components of the Danish version that may surprise you!Īre you ready to delve into this fun holiday and pick up some new Danish vocabulary?įastelavn is the Danish version of the traditionally Catholic holiday of Carnival. Carnival is a Christian holiday that’s celebrated in numerous countries, so it should come as no surprise that Denmark-a nation with a roughly 75% Christian population and a long history of spirituality-observes it, too.Ĭalled Fastelavn in Denmark, this holiday shares many things in common with Carnival celebrations in other countries as well as Western Halloween traditions. ![]()
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