Father’s Day (or Fars Dag), admittedly, isn’t the most celebrated of Danish holidays, but that doesn’t mean that Danish fathers are left out in the cold! Keeping in mind that it takes place on the same date as the Constitution Day of Denmark, the honor and appreciation fathers are shown means that much more.
At DanishClass101.com, we hope to make learning about Danish holidays and traditions both fun and informative! After all, learning about a country’s culture is a vital step forward in mastering the language.
So let’s get started!
1. What is Father’s Day in Denmark?
Father’s Day is easily overlooked because of Constitution Day, as both fall on June 5 every year.
The day is in many ways similar to Mother’s Day, but a significant difference is that most fathers probably take it less personally if the family has not remembered what day it is. They have often forgotten it themselves.
Of course, you can also find expectant fathers around the country on Father’s Day. And even more children with a guilty conscience about having forgotten it—especially adult children.
It is believed that Father’s Day stands in the shadow of Mother’s Day because the father role has not had an equal need to be celebrated and receive extra attention like the housewife role over time.
2. Father’s Day Date: When is Father’s Day?
Denmark celebrates Father’s Day each year on June 5, which happens to be the same date as the Danish Constitution Day. For this reason, on Constitution Day, Denmark tends to put Father’s Day on a shelf, though there are still a few typical traditions which we outlined below.
3. Reading Practice: Father’s Day Celebrations
How do the Danish celebrate Father’s Day? Read the Danish text below to find out about Danish holiday food for Father’s Day, and other Father’s Day celebrations in Denmark. You can find the English translation directly below it.
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Men de, som ikke har glemt dagen, køber som regel gaver i form af øl, vin eller stærkere drikkevarer, chokolade, en god middag eller en oplevelsespakke. Nogle vælger også at købe, hvad man måske kan betragte som typiske ting, som fædre altid kan bruge. For eksempel værktøj, underbukser eller udstyr til grillen.
Traditioner for fars dag varierer fra familie til familie.
Har man for eksempel mindre børn, kan man som far næsten med sikkerhed forvente at få en hjemmelavet gave. Men noget andet, som normalt også hører med til gaven, er et hjemmelavet kort. I kortet står der venlige ord og kærlige hilsner, som måske betyder mere for en far, end blomster gør på mors dag.
I nogle familier kan det være tradition at servere morgenmad på sengen eller bare gøre lidt ekstra ud af morgenmaden.
Andre vælger måske at vente til om eftermiddagen og overraske med kage, hvorpå der for eksempel står skrevet ‘far’ med glasur.
Selvfølgelig er der også nogle, som venter med at fejre fars dag til om aftenen, hvor hele familien spiser ude eller laver manden i husets livret derhjemme.
Nogle fædre kan måske også lide bare at få lov til at være i fred.
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But those who have not forgotten the day usually purchase gifts in the form of beer, wine, or stronger beverages, chocolate, a good dinner, or an experience package. Some also choose to buy what one might consider as typical things that fathers can always use. For example, tools, underpants, or equipment for the barbecue.
Traditions for Father’s Day vary from family to family.
For example, if you have small children, as a father you can almost certainly expect to get a homemade gift. But something else that also normally comes with the gift is a homemade card. Kind words and loving greetings are written in the card, which may mean more to a father than flowers do on Mother’s Day.
In some families, it may be tradition to serve breakfast in bed or just make a little extra out of the breakfast.
Others may choose to wait till the afternoon and surprise with cake on which, for example, “Father” is written in icing.
Of course, there are also some people who wait to celebrate Father’s Day until the evening, when the whole family eats out or makes the man of the house’s favorite food at home.
Some fathers may also like to just to be left in peace.
4. Communication Problems…
Do you know why Father’s Day is not celebrated on the second Sunday in November as in the other Nordic countries?
Because the Board of Nordic traders, who would rather have Father’s Day to be in the fall, forgot to communicate the changing of the date properly. So Denmark held on to June 5.
5. Useful Vocabulary for Father’s Day in Denmark
Here’s some vocabulary for Father’s Day in Denmark!
- Søndag — “Sunday”
- Søn — “Son”
- Datter — “Daughter”
- Far — “Father”
- Aftensmad — “Dinner“
- Elske — “Love”
- Gave — “Present”
- Lykønskningskort — “Greeting card”
- Fejre — “Celebrate”
- Gavekort — “Gift certificate”
- Fars dag — “Father’s Day”
To hear each vocabulary word pronounced, check out our Danish Father’s Day vocabulary list. Here, each word is listed alongside an audio file of its pronunciation.
Conclusion
What do Father’s Day traditions look like in your country? Are they similar or very different? Let us know in the comments!
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Keep studying and putting in the good effort, and before you know it, you’ll be speaking Danish like a native! And DanishClass101.com will be here for every step of that journey.
