Have you noticed the snowdrops? Tiny white vintergækker peeking through the last frost, golden daffodils (påskeliljer) waving in the breeze, and the buttercup-bright erantis scattered like sunshine on the ground? These delicate blooms are more than just beautiful; they’re the first whispered promise that winter is ending. And in Denmark, that means Easter is near.

Easter here isn’t just a religious holiday. It’s a joyful blend of spring celebration, pagan folklore, family feasts, and a touch of mischief. It smells like pickled herring and fresh air. It looks like yellow ribbons, paper flowers, and chocolate bunnies hiding in the garden. And it feels like a new beginning.

Let me take you on a little tour of how we celebrate Påske in Denmark, past and present.

A Season of Blended Traditions

In Danish, Easter is called Påske, a word rooted in the Hebrew Pesach (Passover). But Denmark, like many old countries, doesn’t keep its traditions in tidy boxes. Christian, pagan, folkloric, it’s all stirred together like eggs in a spring soup.

• Witches flying on Maundy Thursday: Old tales say that on Skærtorsdag (Maundy Thursday), witches flew to Bloksbjerg Mountain in Germany to dance with the Devil. People would place brooms across their doors to keep them out.
• Eggs as tax and penance: In the 1600s, eggs were so valuable that they were used to pay church taxes, and even sins!
• The Easter Cuckoo: Long before the bunny hopped onto the scene, children were told that the Easter Cuckoo brought the treats.

This beautiful mess of customs tells a deeper story: Easter in Denmark is really a celebration of rebirth. Of the world waking up. Of light returning after the long, Nordic dark.

Easter Lunch: A Feast of Family, Beer & Salted Things

Påskefrokost, the Easter lunch, is the centerpiece of the Danish Easter holiday. It’s not just a meal. It’s an event. A long, lazy, laughter-filled gathering that blends lunch and dinner into one long feast.

You’ll find:

• Herring in every flavor (classic, curry, tomato, dill… you name it)
• Boiled eggs and egg dishes, including solæg (“sun eggs”), eggs boiled with onion skins, brined in salt and vinegar, and served with mustard and chili.
• Roast lamb, chicken, cheese platters, rye bread stacked high, and vegetables
• Påske Bryg – strong Easter beers brewed specially for the season
• Snaps – the fiery Scandinavian aquavit you’ll either love or barely survive

It’s tradition to clink glasses, shout “SKÅL!” and take a shot before diving into the next open-faced smørrebrød. You’ve been warned.

Gækkebreve: Teasing Letters & Secret Snowdrops

One of my favorite Easter traditions is the gækkebrev, a mysterious, cheeky little letter filled with rhymes and riddles.

The idea? You cut a piece of paper into delicate lace-like patterns, write a playful poem or riddle, and sign it only with dots (one for each letter in your name). Then you tuck in a snowdrop flower and send it to someone special.

If the recipient guesses who sent it, you owe them a chocolate egg. If they guess wrong, they owe you. It’s sweet, silly, poetic, and a little flirtatious too. This tradition goes all the way back to the 16th century.

Easter Crafts & Games

Danish kids (and adults, let’s be honest) get very hands-on at Easter:

Blowing Out Eggs (Puste Æg)

You poke a hole in both ends of a raw egg and blow out the contents until you’re left with a hollow shell, perfect for painting. It’s equal parts art project and lung workout.

Rolling Eggs (Trille Æg)

Hard-boiled, brightly painted eggs are rolled down hills (or makeshift indoor ramps). The winner is the egg that rolls the furthest without cracking. Given current egg prices, the winners often get eaten at lunch.

Egg Hunts

Brought by the late-arriving Easter Bunny, who only became popular in Denmark around the 1930s (thanks, Germany). Eggs are hidden in gardens and homes for eager children to find, though adults often can’t resist joining in.

Folklore, Flags & Forgotten Fires

Sombre Friday, Joyful Sunday

On Good Friday, the Dannebrog (Danish flag) flies at half-mast in mourning for Jesus. On Easter Sunday, it flies high in celebration.

Bonfires & Witch Protection

In some towns, Easter bonfires are lit, echoes of old pagan spring rituals to burn away winter’s darkness. In the past, effigies (and once, witches) were burned to protect communities from evil.

The Royals’ Påske

The Danish royal family traditionally spends Easter at Marselisborg Palace, with ceremonial flag raisings and a special Carlsberg Easter brew served at the Queen’s table. You know it’s real when there’s a royal beer involved.

Food Fun & Folk Flavor

• Pickled herring: Over 1,000 tons consumed every Easter. It’s basically a saltwater religion.
• Snaps: Strong enough to make your ancestors blush. Flavored with herbs, best served ice cold.
• Skidne æg: A dish with boiled eggs in mustard-horseradish sauce. Sounds weird. Tastes divine.
• Cardamom “Easter letters” made of braided bread hide chocolate inside.
• Easter hearts (Julehjerter): Papercut decorations passed between friends and hung with pride.

Witchy Lore & Dimmelugen (The Silent Week)

The week before Easter was once called Dimmelugen, when church bells went silent and wooden clappers replaced them, sounding more somber, more sacred.

And the witch tales? Oh, they’re not just for Midsummer.

• On Skt. Skadesaften (the evening before Maundy Thursday), witches flew, by broom, or by hitching a ride on a magpie, to Brocken Mountain for the Devil’s spring gathering.
• Folklore says the first egg laid by a hen after winter (called a hønnikeæg) was used by the village pastor to uncover which women had flown with the witches the night before.

Denmark’s folklore is rich with shadow and light—always dancing on the edges of the veil.

Today, witch-burning is associated with Midsummer Eve, Sankthansaften in Denmark, but in the past there we no shortage of witch-burning occasions (including those in other Scandinavian countries such as Sweden), and so it was also associated with Easter. There are tales originating in the 1800’s where witches would fly to Bloksbjerg, a mountain in Germany, on the evening “Skt. Skadesaften” before Holy Thursday (Skærtorsdag).

If they didn’t go by broom, they could instead go by a magpie’s back. It was therefore considered to be impossible to see any magpies on Skt. Skadesaften. A modern variation of dressing up as witches is still celebrated in Sweden.

After participating in this yearly witch party, organised by the Devil himself, the witches returned to Denmark. The pastor would then use the very first egg that a hen laid after winter, called a hønnikeæg, in a bizarre ritual to uncover which of the village women had been flying the previous evening.

Final Thoughts: Easter in Denmark Is a Celebration of Life Returning

Easter here is tender and wild. It’s bonfires and beer, chocolate and cheer, ancient stories and modern joy. It’s eggs that roll, witches that fly, and hearts that open after a long, dark season.

Spring in Denmark blooms slowly, like snowdrops breaking through the frost. And Easter is the celebration of that quiet, powerful return of life.

So light a candle.
Hang a wreath.
Send a gækkebrev.
And say SKÅL to the light.
Glad Påske 💛

Photo by Kaja Reichardt on Unsplash
Photo by Michal Balog on Unsplash
Photo by Sebastian Staines on Unsplash