Holiday Traditions in Denmark vs. in Canada
Shaping Cultural Experiences
Travel has been an integral part of my life since I was a young child. I grew up in a multicultural, bilingual home in the Netherlands with a Polish mother and a Dutch father. My
Update & BBC News Link
A brief update: One interview video will be uploaded tomorrow evening. I believe the BBC News One-Minute World News provides well-balanced reporting of news, hence why I wanted to share it. Top stories on May
From Nigeria to Boston
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VNkCazT_T4&feature=youtu.be
When you first meet Oluwagbeminiyi Osidipe, you encounter a very vibrant, friendly, and unique personality. Oluwagbeminiyi or Niyi – as she shortened her name for simplicity – was named by her mother, who had a “very personal experience” when she had her, Niyi explained. Niyi is a Yoruba Nigerian transplant who arrived in the U.S. in 2006. As one of the most densely populated (West) African countries, Nigeria derives its name from the river that spans its land. To the South, it borders the Gulf of Guinea to the Atlantic Ocean. Originally colonized by the British, Nigeria gained independence in 1960. Its main ethnic groups are the Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba, who speak English and their own respective languages, while major religions include Islam, Christianity and indigenous beliefs. Niyi shares her story, her views on politics, cultural differences she’s embraced with humor, and what we can learn from each other by expressing curiosity. Her message is simple: travel enriches us through its exposure to new cultures, and enables us to grow.
Mark Twain on Travel
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.” (American author Mark Twain, Innocents Abroad).
Have you had the opportunity to travel (extensively, within your country, or even once abroad)? Can you relate to Twain’s sentiments? How does travel enrich us?
Pleasing The Taste Palate
Food has the wonderful quality of uniting us no matter where we are. There is nothing partisan or narrow-minded about food. It simply invites us to indulge, create recipes, and share with others. Two of my favorite Polish dishes (included in collage) are pierogies and barszcz czerwony – a beetroot soup – served on Christmas Eve in Poland. How does food bring us together? What are some of your favorite dishes and why? Can food trigger memories?
Stereotypes: Truth or Fiction?
DEFINING STEREOTYPES: “An idea or statement about all of the members of a group or all the instances of a situation.” (Merriam-Webster). Stereotypes enable bias and preconceived notions to perpetuate, but can also reveal valid
Annual Human Rights Report
“The world changed immeasurably over the course of 2011. Across the Middle East, North Africa, and far beyond, citizens stood up to demand respect for human dignity, more promising economic opportunities, greater political liberties, and
Euro Crisis & Emerging Stereotypes
Brief Crisis Breakdown Since the onset of the global financial crisis, or Great Recession, in 2007, the Eurozone has feared impending growing global debt levels, as well as sovereign debt within European countries themselves. In
Remembering Tiananmen
Today marks the 23rd anniversary of Tiananmen Square pro-democracy protests in Beijing, China. Inflation, a lack of career prospects, the fall of Eastern European communism, and political corruption, are all said to have fueled anger
Coffee's Uniting Power
A cup of coffee can bridge cultural gaps. At least, that’s what Gizem Salgicil White, founder of Turkayfe.org, believes. Her organization aims to create awareness of Turkish culture, particularly within America. Gizem is a Turkish native,
Today’s guest post is by Kelsie Robyn of travelwanderexplore.com.
Hello! I am a travel blogger + travel enthusiast from Canada. I love travelling the world and sharing stories of my travels, as well as hearing stories from other travellers. Many of my travels take me to Europe. I love exploring the different countries and cultures in such a diverse continent. This leads me to my topic today, holiday traditions in Denmark.
For a relatively small country, Denmark celebrates Christmas in a huge way! I have been lucky enough to go to Denmark and I will be returning there soon. While in Denmark I spend time wandering around the different islands, visiting Kobenhavn (Copenhagen), and spending time with my friend and her family.
Christmas in Denmark is a big part of Danish culture. The Christmas season often runs from November to January. The three biggest days of this cheerful season are December 24th, 25th, & 26th. Along with these three days, advent takes place all December long. Kids (and adults!) often open a small candy or gift each day in December. My favorite part about Danish Christmas is the Christmas markets! These little markets pop up all over the place and are truly a beautiful display of Christmas spirit. Many Danish people also go to the German Christmas markets, because all of Denmark is fairly close to the German border. The food is a big part of the Danish culture, especially during Christmastime. Families often gather around a table filled with hearty food such as roast, turkey, goose, potatoes, and other side dishes. Dessert also plays a huge (and delicious!) role. Lots of pastries, coffee, chocolate, and sweets are consumed throughout December. Throughout the Christmas season you can expect to see cheerful people, VERY cheerful children, lots of holiday decorations, and lots of generosity. Danish people are generally known to be very friendly, but the Christmas season brings out even more of this gracious spirit.
In Canada, Christmas is also a fairly big holiday, however there are also lots of other holidays celebrated. December 24th is Christmas Eve (as with Denmark), December 25th is Christmas, and December 26th is referred to as Boxing Day. Boxing Day is a day I personally do not care for! Many stores in Canada have huge sales on this day and people rush to the stores often exchanging gifts or buying items for a discounted price. In my family we tend to ignore this aspect of Canadian Christmas and stay at home have snacks, and play games as a family. This is also the day when we see extended family. Christmas falls in the middle of winter in Canada. Along the coasts, it is generally snowy, but tends to have milder weather. I am from central Canada and it is always snowy and cold on Christmas! I am not a person who likes snow, but on Christmas I enjoy it. We often have a campfire outside with hot chocolate, or go sledding. Christmas dinner usually consists of turkey, potatoes, salads, and other side dishes. Christmas cookies are often baked and shared throughout December. These cookies are decorated with colorful icing and dusted with sugar. Yumm!
Danish and Canadian holiday traditions have lots in common. Christmas trees, Christmas Eve, Christmas music, and lots more! However, if I had to sum it up into a couple of sentences, I would say that Danish people celebrate Christmas to a fuller extent. The Christmas season is something Danes look forward to all year long. The Danish Christmas markets are another highlight of the season. In Canada we celebrate Christmas, but we do not have many Christmas markets! This is something I really wish Canada would adopt, because they are a great show of Christmas spirit. Christmas in both countries is a grand tradition that young and old both celebrate. In both countries a friendly visitor (Santa Claus!) comes and brings Christmas joy to the children.
Wherever you celebrate the holiday season this year, and whatever holiday you participate in, I wish you a joyous season! If you get a chance, get out there are experience a different culture’s take on the holiday season. It really is a beautiful time of year, and everyone celebrates it in a different and beautiful way!
Happy Travels!
Writer bio on Kelsie Robyn:
- Age: 22
- Country: Canada
- Favorite place to get lost in: Any European city
- Dream Destination: Exploring a beautiful old city or getting out into nature and exploring a lush forest or warm coastline.
- Interests: Travel, cats, and any combination of the two!
Hi! I'm the founder of Culture With Travel and #CultureTrav. Please chat with us on social media and contribute in the comments! Follow @Nicolette_O
