You might already now how to say happy birthday in Danish - tilykke med fødselsdagen. But perhaps there's still some mystery around how the Danes celebrate their birthdays and how you can be a part of the traditions.
Kids’ birthdays
In Denmark, it’s common in schools that when a kid has a birthday, they invite everyone in their class to a party. At children’s birthday parties there are often activities and games, along with boller (buns), hot chocolate, and a kagemand (a cake in the shape of a person), and note that usually, the parents of the guests do not stay for the party. However, usually the parents are invited to come in for a coffee when they pick up their child.
It’s also common for kids in Denmark to have an ønskeseddel, a wishlist, where the birthday boy or girl (or their parents) will let the extended family (or those invited to the party) know what the kid would like this year for their birthday.
Adults' birthdays
An ønskeseddel is also something adults share with their friends or family if they celebrate their birthday, and while this may be very different to many other cultures, it definitely makes it easier to know what to buy your loved one! And when someone hosts a party for their birthday, it's most likely that they will also provide food and drink - and it is almost expected, that the guests bring a present. It's perfectly fine for it to be a small gift or eg flowers, as long as you bring something with you.
BYO cake
Instead of having cake given to you on your birthday, in Denmark, it’s more often expected that you bring a cake to work or school when it’s your birthday. While perhaps seeming somewhat backward to other cultures, it’s a way of letting everyone know that today is the big day!
Flags
Another tradition that may seem strange to foreigners, is that it’s very common to put up little Danish flags everywhere when there’s a birthday. The Danish flag symbolises celebration for Danes, and so on birthdays and other celebratory occasions, it’s not national pride that Danes want to showcase, but rather joy. This can take the form of flying your Danish flag on the pole in your backyard or decorating your cake or your home/garden with little flags. It’s also common to give a person a small flag when it is their birthday.
Cinnamon and Pepper
Maybe you’ve walked past a tree or a post that has been covered in brown powder, only to smell its sweet scent before realising what it is. In Denmark, if you turn 25 and you’re still single, your friends can give you cinnamon - or drizzle it on you! It is even common to tie the birthday girl or boy to a pole and cover them in cinnamon. And if you turn 30 and you’re still not married, you’re given pepper. Why, you might ask. Well, no one really knows, but apparently, the cinnamon and pepper traditions are more common in Jylland.