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Christmas in Den Gamle By (The Old Town)
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Christmas in The Old Town Experience how Danes have celebrated the holidays for centuries. Exciting activities await the entire family with historical shops, Living History, traditional Danish treats, Christmas market and entertainment in the weekends.
The magic at the open air museum "Den Gamle By" begins on November 19th, when the living history market town of more than 75 restored vintage buildings puts on its holiday finery. In each room, visitors step directly into a world gone by, with all the details in place.
The Christmas exhibition is comprised of more than 30 large
and small exhibitions distributed among the historical buildings of Den Gamle By (The Old Town). It is a cavalcade of scenes from different periods beginning with the renaissance parlour of the wealthy merchant grocer in 1625, through the 19th century and the first Christmas trees, concluding in the living room of the modern family in 1929, with both an Advent wreath and a Christmas tree decorated with angel hair and electric fairy lights.
Christmas now also in more recent ‘olden times’
Before the turn of the century in 1900, Christmas was not noticeably visible in Danish streets or town life during the merry season. But in the new quarters in the 'Den Gamle By' (The Old Town), where the history of 20th century provincial town life in Denmark is portrayed, the streets will nonetheless be fully decked out for Christmas.
When you cross the town square and walk along the Søndergade street, the streetscape changes and you will notice that there are pavements, electric street lamps, and a petrol pump.
When it's Christmas the tradespeople bedeck the street with natural spruce branches arching overhead and electric lights, and the shop windows are decorated according to the tradition of 1927. Then, as now, they knew the importance of attracting customers into the shop... by means of, for example, electric light, mechanical pixies, electric train sets, or 'On sale' signs.
In addition to the ironmonger’s and the bookshop there is a brand new shop in this part of the town – the biggest Danish chain store of the time, 'Schous Sæbehus'.
In the town district portraying 1974, there will also be festively lit Christmas decorations across the streets. And as custom dictated at the time, the 'spruce' branches are now made of plastic, bedecked with Christmas decorations of glass, metal or plastic. In the street of Sønderbrogade in the Old Town, there will be lit Christmas lanterns hanging from the overhead decorations.
These lanterns used to hang in the pedestrianised high street in the North Jutland village of Skals in the seventies, and were donated to the Old Town last year.
A light in the dark
Experience how dark the darkness really was at the time of Hans Christian Andersen on this dramatised tour. A character from the past will welcome you and show you around Den Gamle By in the light from a small lamp.
Have a taste of Christmas |
Visit The Old Town in DecemberOpening hours during christmas:
19th November till 22nd December from 10am to 6pm
23rd till 30th December from 10am to 5pm
The museum is closed 24th, 25th, and 31st December as well as 1st January
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The clergyman’s widow is making floating æbleskiver (puffy fried cakes that resemble doughnuts) whilst the kitchen maids in the Merchant’s House are busy preparing rice porridge, stewed kale, and klejner (traditional Danish Christmas cakes) or other delicious dishes from “Peter’s Christmas”.
So everything is ready for you to enjoy the real spirit of Christmas in the light from the oil lamps with delicious samples of Christmas goodies – just like your great-grandmother made them. |
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