An Expat’s Guide to Living in Denmark: Understanding Dates/Events for School & Work

If you are new to Denmark, you might be unaware of some special days in Denmark. It might come as a surprise to you that your child may be off of school at unexpected times in the year, or there are days when there seem to be no one at work. Also, your child may come home with a paper saying that they will be celebrating a specific holiday or event at school, which leaves you wondering, ‘what is going on’? Allow me to let you in on the secret calendar in Denmark so that you can feel a bit more confident in knowing just what the heck these Danes are up to! Here is a list of special dates and events for school and work in Denmark!

Grab your calendar, I’m about to share with you all the dates/holidays you need to know when living in Denmark!

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January 1st: New Year’s Day

This is no surprise. Many countries have the same day for New Year’s Day. Children won’t go to school and many people won’t work. There has been a rumor of a ski jump competition on TV that Danes like to talk about, but it might be one of those urban legends. It would be kind of fun to see if you know of anyone who actually watches it, though! Mostly, this is a day for people to nurse a hangover from the partying they had the night before. I’ll tell you more about that at the end!

TBD (Beginning of February): Sex Week

Yep! You read that right! In Danish schools, they have a week dedicated to teaching kids about “sex”. Some schools get very involved with this and get into the anatomy and such, when others talk about feelings and the not-so-scary stuff. From my personal experience as a teacher in Denmark, I can say that it is all appropriate.

Kids aren’t watching porn or anything weird. I remember talking with a group of 12 year olds about body odor and menstruation, which would not have been the same topic if it were with 8 year olds. Teachers may just pick one day out of this week instead of doing something everyday, but you should be aware that it will be a topic that MAY come up in your child’s class in the beginning of February.

Week 7 (Beginning/Middle of February): Winter Break

Normally around week seven of the year, there will be a winter break from schools. This is also a time when parents take off work and go on a trip with their families. If you don’t plan on going anywhere, the local libraries are always good places to visit for when kids aren’t in school. They normally have events and activities planned, so it might be good to check that out.

If you are working in an office during that week, it will probably be very quiet.

TBD (7th Sunday before Easter): Fastelavn

This is one of my favorite holidays! Since it is always on a Sunday, it won’t affect schools. It is just a fun day. Your local community, schools, churches, etc. may have a special event on this day or on the days before or after it. Children will dress up in costumes and take turns hitting a wooden barrel that is raised up with string (like a pinata) to get candy. If your children are invited to a Fastelavn’s event, don’t say “no”. Trust me! It’ll be a good time! If you want to read more about it, you can check out my post on Fastelavn here.

Here is a post you might like about Fastelavn! (Why Fastelavn is Denmark’s Best Secret Holiday)

Some children may come around your house asking for treats on this day or the day after. I wouldn’t stock up on candy just yet. It might be a good idea to ask your neighbors if they generally get kids coming by or you could just have a bit of candy to be on the safe side. This is similar to Trick-or-Treating, but instead of saying “trick or treat”, kids will sing the Fastelavn song. They should learn this in school.

April 9th: Denmark’s Occupation Day

This is not a nice day, because this is the anniversary of the day that Denmark was occupied by the Nazis during WWII. I remember that this was my due date for my oldest son, and my husband wasn’t having it that our child might be born on this day. What was I going to do about that? Luckily, he was born in March, so I got to avoid that issue. There WILL be work and school on this day, but if you notice flowers or a ceremony of some kind, now you know why. I would say that it is just good to know that the day exists. Maybe someone will test you on it one day! 😉

April 16th: Queen Margrethe II’s Birthday

If you want another reason to fly your Danish flag atop the flagpole, this would be one. This is the day of the Queen’s birthday, which would show your neighbors that you know what’s up with the royal family. Just be sure to take the flag down before sunset. You wouldn’t want to take one step forward just to take two steps back. Many Danes won’t do anything special for this day. School is still in session as well as work, but again, it is just nice to know about these days!

Learn more about Denmark’s beloved Queen Margrethe II in this fun VIDEO!

TBD: Skærtorsday (Holy Thursday) and Langfredag (Good Friday)

Depending on when Easter is will also depend on when Holy Thursday is, since it is the Thursday before Easter. Because Denmark is considered a Lutheran country, they have off days for work and school that go with Christian holidays. If you are Christian, you may (or may not) know that Holy Thursday is the day when we celebrate the Last Supper that Jesus had with his disciples.

However, Denmark is mostly a traditional country over a religious one, which means that they don’t tend to do anything specifically religious on these days. It is just a tradition that they have these days off. (Kind of like the US and Columbus Day. Right?) Most Danes won’t work on these days, and children tend to have this be part of their spring break from school.

This, of course, leads into Good Friday, which is the Friday before Easter and the day that Jesus died on the cross. You may come from your own personal backgrounds with different traditions for this day, but it is generally a day in Denmark when many people won’t go to work and children won’t have school. You may also find that the shops are closed, but this depends on where you live. Again, this is more for tradition than religious observation.

Many people may celebrate Easter with a lunch or dinner with family or friends. There may even be more than one celebration in a home or at a restaurant.

TBD: Påskedag and 2. Påskedag (Easter and Easter Monday)

Easter is celebrated in Denmark, but there still may be lots of places open on this day. It, again, depends on where you live. One year, I noticed that the hardware store was pretty packed on Easter. I’m not sure of the significance, but maybe not everyone has things going on. You might find that other places that are normally open on Sundays are closed on Easter, but it also depends on your town.

Easter Monday is the day after Easter. There will be no school on this day, and most Danes won’t work. There are also many stores that will stay closed, so it is very important to plan your shopping in advance! 🙂 No one wants to eat cereal for dinner because they forgot the shops would be closed!

Learn about traditional, Danish, Easter crafts and how to make them in this VIDEO!

Since we are on the subject of NO SCHOOL DAYS, you should know that children will get a week and a day off of school generally because of Easter. This was pretty much stated in the “Easter” info, but I thought I would mention it again, just in case! Schools and daycares may still have programs if you need a place for your child, so it is best to contact their school or institution to make arrangements and find out their schedules/procedures.

May 5: Denmark’s Liberation Day

If you need to know about when Denmark was occupied by the Nazis, then I guess you should know when they were liberated. May 5th is the day that the Danes gained their freedom back from the Nazis. There is nothing different about this day, much like April 9th, but it is a happy day. You could fly your Danish flag on this day to the delight of your neighbors.

If you want to add an extra point to your integration, you could put a candle in your window on the night before. This and perhaps a short ceremony might be what happens in your community. Otherwise, it is a day that might be good for that quiz I mentioned before! 🙂

TBD (4th Friday after Easter): Store Bededag (Great Prayer Day)

This might be one of those “WHAT??” holidays if you are a foreigner, since you may not have heard of it before. You need to know this one, though, since it is a day when people don’t work and children don’t go to school. It is a very Danish holiday, which makes it a great time to go shopping in Germany without extra traffic.

I have heard people take their kids to amusement parks in Germany on this day, since the German kids will still be in school. Many Danes will use this as an excuse to go to their summer houses, but there are no set traditions. Just don’t send little Johnny or Susie to school that day.

TBD (6th Thursday after Holy Thursday): Kristi Himmelfartsdag (Ascension Day)

If you are Christian, you know this as the day that Jesus’ body went to Heaven. Again, since the Danes are generally not religious, they won’t do anything specifically religious on this day, but they won’t work or go to school. Because this is a Thursday, this typically means that the Friday afterwards is also included in the holiday break, so no school for Johnny and Susie on this Thursday or Friday. Many families will plan an activity together or again, spend this at the summer house.

The summer house is a very “Danish” thing, and though many have summer homes within an hour of their actual home, they tend to use them whenever possible. Maybe that is why the Danes are so happy; they never pass up an opportunity to relax!

TBD (7th Sunday and Monday after Easter): Pinse (Pentecost) and 2. Pinsedag (second day of Pentecost)

Pinse or Pentecost is the day that the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples, but in Denmark, it is mostly another reason to have some time off of work and school to spend with family and friends. Even though this holiday is on a Sunday, Denmark includes the Monday afterwards as another day off of work and school. You should plan to do something fun this weekend!! Many Danes do!

It is nice that there are so many days in spring when most Danes aren’t working and when the kids can stay home from school. There may be events going on at local museums or historical centers, so it is a good idea to plan these weekends ahead of time to add some nice hygge to your spring!

May 26th: Crown Prince Frederik’s Birthday

This is one of those good-to-know dates. Business as usual, but again, I’m giving you an extra day to fly your flag with pride! The Crown prince has also started to hold 5k/10k/half marathon races in all the big towns to celebrate his birthday. It could be a good time to get active. I did this for his 50th birthday i Aarhus, and it was a lot of fun!

TBD: Exam Leave

There is no set date for this, that I know of, but if you have a child who is in the 9th grade, he/she will stop going to regular classes sometime in April to prepare for his/her exams. If you want more information on this, please contact your child’s school to get details. Again, this is for 9th-grade students only. They should also have dates and times for the exams in case you are curious. Hopefully, your child is!

TBD: Karameldag (Caramel Day)

This is a day that is celebrated in Danish schools, so your child will go to school that day. Karameldag is usually when the 9th-grade students dress up in costumes and go around throwing candy at the younger students. This is not as violent as it may sound. Consider it like a reverse Halloween. Your child just needs to show up to school and participate in all the fun.

That would make a great topic to discuss at the dinner table that night. Why do the 9th graders do it? It is somewhat of a right of passage, since they just finished taking some difficult exams and are done with primary school. Your school will be the one to organize it, so the date may be different in every town. As a mom and teacher, I can safely say that this is one of the most anticipated dates of the year for any school child! 🙂

TBD (Usually a Friday Night in the Summer Months): Open by Night

This isn’t something really to mark on your calendar, but you may hear about it and wonder just what does “Open by Night” mean. This is a night when the stores that normally close at 5pm or 6pm will stay open until 9pm or so. There might be other things going on with local businesses having events or giveaways. It is a great way to get out in the community and learn more about the local businesses.

Our town gave out free classes of wine, popcorn and chips one year. I love free, so count me in! They had bouncy houses for the kids, which were also free and some of the stores did a scavenger hunt, which gave us a reason to go into all the stores to take a peek. We live in a small town, so it was a nice excuse to check everything out! The stores usually offer discounts, so it can be a nice time to get a few things at a better price than normal!

June 5th: Grundlovsdag

Grundlovsdag is the day that Denmark celebrates its constitution. There will be no school on this day, and many will not work. It is every year on June 5th, so though it may fall in the middle of the week, still expect that there is no school. This is a great day to fly your flag, by the way!!

This is also when Father’s Day is celebrated in Denmark.

June 23rd: Sankt Hans Aften (St. John’s Eve)

Though your child should probably still be in school at this point in time, this is something that happens more at night and won’t affect his/her schedule. If you work, you’ll still work, so no worries there. It just might be helpful to know about this holiday, since there tends to be some fun around it, and who doesn’t want to have fun?

Sankt Hans Aften is a Midsummer celebration on the night before the celebration of St. John the Baptist. However, no one really thinks about old St. John. You guessed it! Another religious holiday that is not looked at as religious. You don’t need to do anything special for this holiday, but many communities will have bonfires on this night, so you might want to find out where one is in your area and take part. If nothing else, you’ll get immersed a bit more in the culture and have some fun!

Get all the details of how they celebrate Sankt Hans Aften in Denmark HERE!

End of June: End of School

School in Denmark usually goes until the end of June, but it is best to contact your school to get the full details. The last week of school may have special events or hours, so talk with your child’s teacher to learn more.

July (Where did everybody go?)

Normally in July, this is when Denmark goes on vacation! Of course, there are exceptions to every rule, but many Danes will take their vacations during the month of July, so there is no school in July. Your child’s school or daycare may have some options for childcare for part of July, but be prepared for little Johnny and Susie to be home with you.

You should also be aware that a lot of extra curricular events stop in July. This means that if your child started a “summer sport” in May, he/she will take a break until usually the middle of August when school starts again. This can make it a bit boring if you don’t have something planned for July, so be prepared. There are lots of events and attractions open in Denmark in July, so get out there and explore your new country!! 🙂

TBD(Within First Half of August): First Day of School

If you have a child who is in grade zero, (In the US, we call this kindergarten.) the first day of school will be rather special. Parents are welcome to come to class with their child and stand in the back of the room to watch as the first half hour or so gets started. Don’t feel weird about this! Almost all the parents are there! The school may even have coffee and cake for the parents afterwards, so be prepared to spend at least an hour at the school that morning.

Learn all about what to do BEFORE your child starts school in Denmark HERE!

If your child is in grades 1 and up, there will more-than-likely be nothing for the parents. You will want to check with your child’s school, though. My son had a special, first day with parents in first grade as well.

September 5th: Danmarks Udsendte (Denmark’s Flag Day for Deployed Soldiers)

This is a fantastic day to get your flag out, since this day is all about the flag. If you forget, don’t sweat it! This isn’t a huge day for the average Dane who is without a military background. Those who were in wars or spent much of their time in the military will be very interested in this day.

Check your local newspaper for events that might be taking place in your town. There are usually parades with marching bands, but it is usually a very small parade of just veteran soldiers. Parades are fun, in my opinion, so if you are looking to show your Danish pride, this would be a great day to do that!

TBD: Sports Day

This is not a Danish holiday, but it is, instead, a day when the kids will have nothing but sport activities at school. The normal schedule will be tossed out the window and replaced with (usually) a half day of sports activities. This might mean that your child will want to take extra clothes to school and running shoes.

My children normally run the entire time and this day usually occurs the Friday before the fall break. However, some schools will have this in the spring. It is best to check with your child’s teacher to find out when this day is. You just want to make sure your child is prepared with the right gear. The school day is also shorter on this day, so if your child walks home or rides his/her bike, they might be arriving earlier than usual. FYI!

Week 42 (Entire week in the middle of October): Efterårsferie (Fall Break)

If you don’t know by now, the Danes love to refer to weeks by number. This can be very confusing to someone who isn’t used to it. I am from the US, where we would just call it “a week in the middle of October”.

Now, living in Denmark, you need to remember that (usually) week 42 is a week when the kids don’t have school, so if you plan to take any family trips in the fall, this would be a guilt-free time to take them away, since they won’t be missing out on school. (Spoken like a true teacher!) Many people take this time off of work as well, so be prepared if you go in to work, because there might not be many people there.

October 31: Halloween

Now, if you ask most Danes, they will say that Halloween is an American holiday that they don’t celebrate. For the most part, this is true, but there are some areas that are getting into the Halloween spirit. Granted, it is NOTHING like Halloween in the USA, but be prepared that there may be trick-or-treaters coming around your house that night.

Again, just like with Fastelavn, check with your neighbors to know what is expected. There may be events going on in your area for Halloween, and many fun places decorate. Check out my post on Halloween if you are interested in seeing our personal experience. There IS school and work on this day.

Learn how you can have an American Halloween in Denmark HERE!

November 10: Sankt Mortens Aften (The Eve of Saint Martin)

This is not a day off, but a day you will probably hear about or see ads for in the grocery store. St. Martin was a monk who lived a very long time ago and was very well-known for giving his cloak to a beggar at the city gate. I know from my many years as a German teacher that Germany also celebrates this day with a children’s parade and lanterns.

I have not heard of the Danes ever doing anything particularly special for this occasion except for making a traditional meal of duck, red cabbage (or red beets) and potatoes. This, of course, could just be what we eat, so you might want to ask around. (If you are a Dane reading this, leave me a comment and let me know what you eat.) Of all the dates and events in Denmark, this one might actually get forgotten unless you like to eat duck! 😉

TBD: Advent Sundays

As you may know, the four Sundays leading up to Christmas are called “advent Sundays”. In Denmark, the Danes may start decorating for Christmas at this time and put out the four advent candles. It is different for everyone. There is no special things to consider with work or school, but I thought I would mention it, in case you were curious.

December 1-December 24: Adventkalendar (Advent Calendar, Candle, Shows)

When we think of December in Denmark, there are things that your children may hear about at school. December has many important dates and events in Denmark! In order for you to be in on the secret, you will need to know about what the Danes do from December 1st to December 24th. Check back to my blog when it is closer to the holiday for a post on Danish Christmas Traditions to learn more.

Learn all the ways they Countdown to Christmas in Denmark HERE!

TBD (End of November/Beginning of December): Juleklippesdag (Christmas Cutting Day)

There will typically be no days off in the beginning of December, but there will generally be a Christmas Cutting Day at school. This is a day for the children to decorate their classroom for Christmas. Your child’s school may invite parents or grandparents to help out on this day, so talk with your child’s teacher to find out more. It may also be a day that doesn’t involve outside family at all, but you may just want to be aware that your child has this special day that happens every year.

Learn more about how children celebrate Christmas in Denmark in this VIDEO!

Week of Christmas and New Years: Christmas Break

Starting sometime just before Christmas and ending just after New Year’s Day will be a break from school. It is best to check your child’s school’s website for special dates. The Danes love to have their “hygge” time and get cozy indoors or take a trip somewhere during this break. Of course, there is also the celebrations for Christmas as well.

If you find that you have to work during this break, check with your child’s daycare or school to see if there is an option of sending your child there. Most schools and daycares will be open part o this time. Just don’t expect them to be open on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day or New Year’s Day.

December 23: Lillejuleaften (Little Christmas Eve)

On December 23rd is Little Christmas Eve. Of all the dates and events in Denmark, this is one of my favorite. Lillejuleaften will generally not be a day when your child is in school, but it is a special day you may hear about. This is typically when the Danes like to eat Æbleskiver or risengrød, though they eat them all December long, if you ask me. You aren’t expected to do anything special, but just know this day exists. It is a cozy day in my opinion. Some families also use it as an extra day to celebrate Christmas with those they won’t see on the 24th.

December 24: Juleaften (Christmas Eve)

Perhaps, one of the most important of all dates and events in Denmark is Juleaften! Though many Danes aren’t religious, this is still a popular day. This is the day when the Danes will be celebrating Christmas and when there will be special services at the local churches. If you want to see how a Danish church service is like on Christmas Eve, be sure to get there early for a seat. This is the one day when the church is so packed that they might have to have multiple services.

December 31st: Nytårsaften (New Year’s Eve)

Again, this is probably not a surprise, since New Year’s Eve is a very well-known holiday throughout the world. In Denmark, there will be no school and probably no work, depending on what you do for a job. This is a night of celebration, the queen’s speech on TV and never-ending fireworks. Be prepared that they might even be fired off outside your house! FYI! Prepare animals and kids for the noise! Typically, Danes like to drink on this night, but that isn’t a very big difference from many other countries!

Get all the details on how to have the best, Danish New Year’s Eve HERE!

Other Events That Might Pop Up Throughout the Year /Worthwhile Info

Fredagsbrød (Friday’s Bread)

If you work in Denmark, your place of business may have a “Friday’s bread”, which is a time during the morning hours on a Friday when you will share something to eat with colleagues. Often times, you will need to sign up for this and take turns bringing in items for it. Be sure to participate, because this is a great time to talk with your coworkers and do something that is very Danish.

You may also be expected to clean up the mess on that same Friday or on another Friday. Don’t feel awkward! Everybody does it. You will only need to feel weird if you DON’T, since it is expected from your Danish colleagues.

Learn more about the benefits of the Danish work culture in this fun VIDEO!

Skolefest (School Party)

There may be some other dates and events in Denmark that are more specific for your child. These may be determined by the school or the parent committee of the class. Usually once a year, your child’s elementary school (folkeskole) will have a “skolefest” some time in the evening. This might be something you need to RSVP to or even order food in advance. If you are unsure, contact your child’s teacher, school or another parent from class. Since this event is usually only once a year, you don’t want to miss out. This is also usually at night, so there won’t be a day off of school for this.

Emnedag/Emneuge (Subject day/ Subject Week)

Your child may have a subject day or subject week at school throughout the year. This will happen often at the folkeskole level, which means that his/her normal classes will be replaced with a themed week. You don’t need to do anything special with this knowledge, but don’t expect them to be bringing their books to and from school during these times.

They may also have projects that they are working on or need to complete by a certain day. The teachers are usually pretty good at communicating with parents about this, but if your child is older, it might be good to ask him/her or another parent.

School or Class News

Normally, there will be meetings for parents at school, which you will be informed by the teachers. Be sure to know which means of communication the teachers are likely to use. Sometimes, it might be a system in which you’ll have to log in. This is where you’ll get info on class activities, homework, behavior, etc. Your child’s teacher may just use written notes and/or email, so be sure to check our child’s bag and your email often.

Class Events

Each class at school should also have a forældreråd, which is a group of volunteer parents who work to plan events for the class. This might also include the playgroups for the younger children. These parents might communicate via flyers or Facebook, so make sure that you are connected and participate when you can.

Julefrokost (Christmas Lunch)

Many companies may have a Julefrokost for their employees. This is a dinner that lasts late into the night with (generally) lots of drinking. It is a great way to relax with coworkers, and I would recommend giving it a try if you are invited. Many Danes will have these with friends as well. This isn’t usually something that happens with schools, but the parent committee at your school may suggest it.

I hope you find this list of dates and events in Denmark useful and that it allows you a better idea of just what happens here in Denmark with holidays, and schools/work events. Thanks for reading and be sure to become a new subscriber to my blog to get more information on living in Denmark!

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