A sustainable Christmas
A good old-fashioned Christmas market can make even the most Christmas-weary Copenhagen resident dig out their Santa hat. But one can also tire of fir trees and mulled wine, and then it’s fortunate that the city also offers Christmas markets that are a bit different from the average. And it can be quite cheap if you keep your MobilePay in your pocket, let yourself be captivated with your eyes, and aim to snag some samples instead of buying the whole menu.
For example, there’s a good opportunity to shake up Danish Christmas traditions at the African Christmas market in Nørrebrohallen. Here you can explore African design, art, and crafts, smell your way through a selection of spicy dishes, and learn about the culture and traditions of various African countries.
If you’re more into æbleskiver (Danish pancake balls, ed.) than angel figures, Aarstidernes Christmas market is an option. There, you can taste your way to Christmas spirit with samples of organic treats, find ideas for creative Christmas gifts, and gain knowledge about sustainability in the green surroundings at Banegaarden.
If crystals speak to you more than sleigh rides, or if you need an activity for when your tarot card-reading aunt is in town, then the ’Witch Yule Market’ is a perfect choice. The Copenhagen Occult Club invites you to a Christmas market with dream interpretation, sound healing, and handmade candles and jewelry.
Are you a nature lover but can’t find the energy to leave the city? On a rooftop in Østerbro, you can satisfy your desires. Østergro will open their rooftop farm and garden to everyone on the weekend of December 13-14. You can greet chickens and rabbits, make pancakes and popcorn over a fire, and create seed balls to take home.
Christmas Market. December 7, Nørrebrohallen, Kbh. N.
Christmas Market. December 13-14, BaneGaarden, Kbh. SV.
Christmas Market. December 7, Kulturhuset Islands Brygge, Kbh. S.
Christmas Market. December 13-14, Østergro, Kbh. Ø.
The sound of Christmas
Do you associate the Christmas season with Jesus’ birth and need a dose of Christmas blessing to truly feel the holiday approaching? Or are you just the type who loves free musical experiences in beautiful surroundings? Then you’re in luck, because several of the city’s churches offer atmospheric Christmas concerts in December.
In Helligåndskirken in the middle of Strøget, you can enjoy Christmas tunes from the chamber choir Terpsichore at the concert ’Midt i julenat’. The musical stories are about the events of Christmas night itself, and the program includes traditional English carols, new Christmas music, and Danish Christmas classics.
If you’re one of those who think you have to be gray-haired to play the organ, you can be proven wrong at Vartov Kirke. There, you can experience the newest members of the organist community when the organ students from The Royal Danish Academy of Music perform a concert.
The Royal Danish Academy of Music’s Children’s and Youth Choir, cello ensemble, and harp students also hold a Christmas concert. They have put together a program that includes well-known Christmas songs, music from the cello ensemble, a Santa Lucia parade, and community singing.
On the more feminist side, Ensemble Karitas brings focus back to the women who are also part of Christmas. Throughout December, they will sing Maria and Lucia back into the musical life of Christmas, to the melodies of female composers.
Midt i julenat. December 10, Udstillingssalen, Kbh. K.
Organ concert. December 10 and 17, Vartov Kirke, Kbh. K.
Christmas concert. December 6, Konservatoriets Koncertsal, Frederiksberg.
Julen og kvinden. December 13 at Lundtofte Kirke og December 14 at Vigerslev Kirke.
Out and about
If the church scene isn’t quite your thing, but you still get warm-hearted at the sight of a Saint Lucia parade, don’t despair. In Copenhagen, you can experience Lucia in a kayak – a glowing, floating parade. And if you’re not personally thrilled by it, your Instagram followers surely will be, because it looks amazing!
Another traditional experience is the birth of Jesus in the stable. But in Østerbro at Krudttønden, they do it a bit differently. Here, the nativity play is told through flamenco. And there’s live music!
If you need to catch your breath outside the big city, take the bus to Dragør. The town transforms into a living Christmas calendar, where from December 1-24 you can participate in ’Levende låger’, a parade through the cobblestone streets where a family opens the day’s Christmas window each day.
If Christmas for you means twinkling lights and Christmas displays, you can get your fix in the Inner City. A suggested route could be:
Start at Rådhuspladsen and visit the city’s most famous fir tree, then walk down Strøget to d’Angleterre and admire the lavish Christmas decorations that the hotel is adorned with each year. At Kongens Nytorv, there’s a free ice rink, which is surely filled with tourists and Instagram-filming couples. Finally, you can window shop at Louis Vuitton and Illum, look at all the bags and designer coats you can’t afford, and feel like the little match girl.
Luciaparade. December 13, starting at Kayakbar, Kbh. K.
Nativity play. December 7, Krudttønden, Kbh. Ø.
Christmas in Dragør. Every day at 5 PM, Badstuevælen, Dragør.
It’s for kids
Everyone knows that Christmas is carried by children’s dreamy approach to Santa Claus, gingerbread cookies, and snow. But elf games, advent gifts, and Christmas activities are expensive. So here are a few suggestions on how you can give your child Christmas joy completely free.
At Kildevæld Kulturcenter, kids can participate in a Christmas gift workshop where they can, for example, laser cut Christmas decorations or 3D print a Christmas tree.
Can’t quite manage this year’s Christmas baking with flour on the couch and hair in the cookies? Don’t worry, because in Nordvest, the Library and Flere Fugle invite you to Christmas baking with Thomas from the hyped sourdough bakery. Here, you can roll dough, cut out cookies, and decorate with icing, without having to act as project manager. And if there’s a wait, you can browse through Christmas books in the meantime.
At Sydhavnens Library, they invite you every Saturday in December to Advent Saturdays. The last Saturday before Christmas, they hold Christmas cinema, where there’s cozy time with popcorn and Christmas movies.
At Mariakirken, they have planned a day in the name of creativity. Here, the activity is limited to one motif, namely a nativity scene. The artist duo Et Andet Sted helps and guides, and there are even singing games and breakfast.
Christmas gift workshop. December 14, Kildevæld Kulturcenter, Kbh. Ø. Age group: From 5 years.
Christmas baking. December 6, Flere Fugles Café Flok, Kbh. NV. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Christmas cinema. December 20, Sydhavnens Bibliotek, Kbh. SV.
Build a nativity scene. December 7, Mariakirken, Kbh. V. Age group: 0-11 years.
