Spring Semester 2012

Having read my recent posts, one will have noticed that I had fallen a bit behind on posting. As some of you may know Spring of 2012 was my final semester at University of Richmond. Since I was on the Honors track, had two majors, and an on campus job, the semester seemed to speed past. Days turned into long nights at my desk, and my thesis became my primary focus.

Thankfully, the hard work over the semester paid off. My majors were completed, and my Honors research thesis was approved.

With the end of the semester I am back to my blog, and will strive to capture new adventures which come along.

Keep on the look out for new updates!

New Year's Eve In Copenhagen

I know that this is quite late, as we are already halfway through 2012. However, I have wanted to write about celebrating New Years in Copenhagen for quite a while, and simply haven't gotten to it. So instead of boring you with the details of how I spent my New Years I would like to share with you some traditions, and insights about the New Years celebration in Danmark.

Like most places around the world, Denmark celebrates the coming of a New Year with fanfare. It is a time to gather with friends and loved ones in order to celebrate that which has come to pass, as well as that which is yet to occur. The celebration of New Years dates back to, at least, the Romans. The Romans dedicated the first day of the year, appropriately, to Janus, who was the god of doors and beginnings. This god was said to have two faces, one which looks forward while the other looks back. Many argue that Janus may have impacted January as the name for the first month of the year. Yet the history of the celebration of New Years is typically forgotten in the rush to buy silly outfits, gather food, and round up friends to celebrate.

Celebrating New Years in Danmark is a splendid affair, which is packed with activity and laughter. After Christmas in Copenhagen, the population switches gears to New Years. I remember being in a shop with my host parents and seeing mounds of crazy hats, sparkling outfits, table "bombs" which shoot confetti, and a myriad of other celebratory objects. At the time I was primarily concerned with the crazy hats, and the table "bombs" simply because they had never been a part of my U.S. New Years repertoire. For those who typically refrain from hat wearing, but desire to participate, they even had tastefully done miniature hats that are subtly clipped on top of one's head. Table "bombs" are, as the name suggests, not so subtle. These consist of a cylinder of confetti that after being lit, explodes the confetti in all directions.

Table Bomb as it explodes

However, before the table "bombs" are lit, there is 15 minutes in which most Danes are captivated by their TV screens. From 6pm New Years Eve to 6:15pm the Queen addresses the nation. I was a bit taken back by how uniform it seems to watch this production. While there had previously been fireworks in the street which had to be successfully dodged, at 6 pm all eyes turn to the television and the streets remain silent.


On New Years Eve many people gather for fish dinners. This seems to be a relatively new tradition but all the young Danes I talked to were having some type of fish with friends for New Years Eve dinner. Many, like us, had sushi.

Trays of Sushi for New Years Eve Dinner

Aside from the Queen's Speech, there is another TV production that many watch on New Years Eve. This black and white film called 'Dinner For One' adds some humor to the evening. Below I have inserted the original video which is shown at New Years.

As the countdown to Midnight begins, everyone gets up on chairs and sofas. At 12 o'clock you jump into the New Year, quite literally.

Leaping into the New Year

One of my favorite elements of the Danish New Year is the Kransekage. This 'wreath' cake is made out of almond paste, and designed as a tower of rings, with the rings getting smaller in size as the cake gets higher. Most Kransekage for New Years have Danish flags and festive figures. They are not only fun to look at, but quite tasty. After 12 o'clock everyone gets a piece of this special cake.

Vi Ses!

Inde Roskilde Domkirke - Endelig Hjem til Konger

During my trip back to Denmark in the Winter of 2012, one of the family trips we took was to Roskilde Cathedral, known in Danish as Roskilde Domkirke. Besides being the first Gothic style cathedral to be built out of brick, and being the dominant figure on Roskilde's skyline, this Cathedral is the final home to the Danish monarchy. One of the first to be buried within this Cathedral was Margrethe I. When she died in 1412 she was actually buried in another location, but her body was moved to Roskilde Cathedral shortly after.

Walking around Roskilde Cathedral is a trip down memory lane for those who know Danish history. For those who do not know the stories behind the great individuals buried here, there is a plethora of information provided, allowing one to learn about the people who shaped the development of Danmark as a nation.

With the paintings adorning the chapels, which were built to house the tombs, and the tombs themselves, one is left with no doubt as to the reason why Roskilde Cathedral was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. With the sheer volume of history contained within the cathedral, it is impossible to tell all the stories associated. I shall however tell one of my favorite stories.

Pictured above is the tomb of Margrethe I, one of the most important individuals in Danish history. With the death of Valdemar ‘Atterdag’, King of Danmark, in 1375, his daughter Margrethe I came from Norway to assert her son Oluf's claim to the Danish throne. The 22 year old Margrethe came from Norway as the wife of King Hakon of Norway. Though she claimed the Danish throne on behalf of her son, she was permitted to rule for him due to his age. Five years later, her husband King Hakon died, leaving her to rule both Kingdoms on behalf of her son. Desiring to expand, Margaret had her son Oluf claim to be the “true heir to Sweden” as the grandson (through his paternal side) of Magnus Smek of Sweden.

Unfortunately for Margrethe, Oluf dies shortly after this assertion, leaving Margrethe in the predicament of having renounced her right to the Danish throne and having no right to the throne of either Norway or Sweden. Despite this lack of formal claim, the nobility in Danmark and Norway allowed Margrethe to remain in control, referring to her as "Dame of our Kingdoms, Master of our House, Mighty Guardian." In order to gain control of Sweden, after an attempt at negotiations, there was a battle fought at Falkoebing. After a Swedish defeat and a term of imprisonment for Albrecht, the Swedish King, the outcome was decided. Albrecht relinquished the Kingdom of Sweden putting it under the power of Margrethe. In order to secure familial succession of these Kingdoms, she adopted her sister's grandson, renaming him Eric. Eric of Pomerania, as he came to be known, was crowned King of Scandinavia at the Kalmar Convention in 1397.

The Kalmar union between Danmark, Sweden, and Norway lasted until 1523, with the separation of the Swedish kingdom. Between Norway and Danmark this union lasted from 1380, when Margaret acquired control of Norway, until 1814. As such, the Kalmar Union was a significant development, not just for the history of Danmark but for the history of the region

One of my favorite areas in the Cathedral is the Chapel of Christian IV. The paintings in this room are utterly magnificent, and appear from a distance to be sculptures. You can see this in the picture above. The pillars on the wall are not actual pillars but a portion of the painting. Knowing the rest of the monuments in Danmark that Christian IV was involved in, it is not surprising that this room has paintings of such splendor.