What unites the Danes...

So I have been thinking alot lately about Danish culture (or, 'culture' in general), and why it is such a strongly connected population, and why Danes are proud to be Danish. I have found that there are many things - events, festivals, rituals - that are very unique, and that these things unite the population and become part of the culture.

One example is biking. There are thousands (millions?) of biking commuters each day. Everything in the city is built to accommodate bikes - ramps down stairways, special train cars with bike holders and accompanying seats, bike racks everywhere, and of course the wonderfully wide bike lanes on virtually every road in the country. People bike in the snow. When young people are going out on a Friday night clubbing, they bike there (biking home is a whole other adventure...) in little groups. Older women bike to the grocery store on Saturday. People bring their bike baskets filled with their workout clothes into the gym. It is not uncool to wear reflectors to hold your pant cuffs (though helmets have not quite yet become fashionable, unfortunately). It's just a way of life.

Another example is the various unique cultural events sprinkled throughout the year. There is Fastilavn in the spring (like Halloween), the various music festivals, and recently Kulturnat. The latter is a Friday night in October when most of the museums and other cultural places have late hours, with special performances or events. You buy a pass that entitles you to free public transit and entrance to all the events. On the train home from work I saw many people wearing the mandatory pin on their jackets. Then in Østerport station, I saw a special kiosk set up where one could buy the pass (the pin), and also a beer. It was so organized, and people seemed very enthusiastic about it (unfortunately I didn't end up going, but wanted to!). Another event is something I experienced tonight, on the way home from a hyggeligt dinner at the synagogue: Julebryg - the celebration of the launch of the Christmas beers! On the first Friday in November, the beer companies deliver the special Christmas beer to all the bars. The bars looked very busy, and I got to see a spontaneous delivery in action!


Now it is not the greatest picture but you can get the essence. Large truck pulls up, man with blinking hat opens the back, and out come Tuborg party people with ghetto blaster, fresh beer, and a little dance. They they unload the truck at the closest bar and leave, to do more deliveries.

Other small things I have noticed:
- common showers in the women's locker rooms in gym... a natural place to form a secret bond or understanding at the most basic level
- the tendency for people to have a small group of friends - quality vs quantity
- the emphasis on family - everything from being able to leave work to pick up a child at daycare and not feel guilty, to giant prams for babies and special bicycles to take children around the city
- the cafe-goers are almost always small groups of either men or women, or couples - but not often a mix of genders

It certainly helps that the city is small in size, and the dark winters naturally gather people together indoors, but it seems like it is these kinds of other things that are truly Danish, and it is these kinds of traditions that bind the people together. At least that's what I have noticed...