Christmas in Denmark’s and Scandinavia’s oldest town

Denmark’s and Scandinavia’s oldest town Ribe creates the perfect setting for Christmas as in the “good old days”
The  Christmas decorated town is breathtakingly beautiful and the town square with the huge Christmas tree and the  enlightened Cathedral put the icing on the cake.

“Hygge” is part of the Christmas in Denmark

Danes love the feeling of “Hygge”, especially at wintertime.  Hygge is difficult to translate, but means something like ‘creating a cosy atmosphere’ and can be described as an embracing feeling of warmth and well-being. We light the Christmas candles, huddle together to keep warm, enjoy hot drinks as cocoa or the traditional mulled wine with raisins and almonds and eat Danish, sweet Christmas Dumplings.

Christmas lights and decorated streets

Festoons with Christmas lights decorate streets and in the top of Ribe Cathedral you can see a Christmas star with sparkling lights every evening.

Christmas shopping in Ribe

The overwhelming beauty of Ribe makes it one of Denmark’s most delightful destinations at Christmas time to make Christmas shopping.  A wide range of specialty shops – all within walking distance of the hostel – makes it easy and convenient to go shopping and perfect for buying unique souvenirs as Christmas specialties from Ribe. We can recommend Ribe Christmas Ale from the local Ribe Brewery (the brewery is open for visitors every Saturday) or Christmas cookies – Danish butter cookies in a cake tin with a snowy Christmas picture from Ribe. You can buy these in Parmo’s old grocer’s  shop in the pedestrian street. You will be overwhelmed of all the wonderful Christmas smells coming towards you, when you open the shop door, and you will probably also be tempted by his famous fruits in port.

Christmas Markets in Ribe

Several Christmas markets take place in Ribe during Christmas time. One of the most popular is the Christmas Market at the old grocery store from the  1500s, Quedens Gaard. It is Christmas as in the good old days. You’ll find tastings like roasted almonds, Christmas beer and freshly baked cookies, but also old trades and crafts like candle and rope making, pottery, quilting and handmade Christmas craft is introduced to you.

Christmas hearts decorate Christmas trees

Making Christmas hearts and Froebel stars of paper for Christmas tree decorations is an old Danish tradition.
The oldest known Christmas heart was made by the famous fairytale author Hans Christian Andersen about 1860.
At Ribe Art Museum (Ribe Kunstmuseum) the beautiful Christmas tree is decorated with Sonja Brandes’ handmade paper cuts.
On the photo you see the favourite heart from the hostel host’s Christmas tree, and if you follow this link you’ll find a tutorial for the most common Danish Christmas heart: Make your own Christmas heart

Christmas street theatre and guided tours

An old beloved Danish children’s book Peters Jul (Peter’s Christmas) lend name to the Christmas time in Ribe.
In the weekends you can see the Peter’s Christmas street theatre and follow free guided tours “In Peter’s footsteps”. You can also follow Ribe’s Night Watchman for a guided tour in old Ribe.

Christmas Parade and Santa Claus

At the Christmas Parade you might see a Santa Claus on a red vintage fire engine. In his bag is sweets for the children.
This is a small town and tongues wag: “We know who is hiding behind the beard!”

Moped gang celebrating Christmas

A moped gang  disguised like Father Christmases at the Christmas Parade is one of the more humorous elements in Christmas parade.

The real Father Christmas

Don’t be surprised when you see more than one Father Christmas in town, but this is the one Ribe citizen call the “real” one – he is named Johannes. You will meet him in the streets several times during Christmas time handing out Christmas caramels to the children. He did that for more than 25 years. His legs are sometimes a little tired and sometimes – like here – he hands out caramels from  a horse-drawn carriage. It is also possible for you to have a sightseeing tour in the  horse-drawn carriage.

Explore the historic old town
– Denmark’s best preserved

Ribe is Denmark’s and Scandinavia’s oldest town. It is also Denmark’s best preserved town or city with more than 100 preserved buildings. Only Copenhagen has more preserved buildings than Ribe, but it is a much bigger city.
Don’t forget to relax and enjoy the beauty of the town, move away from town centre and the pedestrian zone,  go into the side streets and stroll along the harbour and you will feel tranquillity descends upon you from the beauty of our town.

Christmas break at Danhostel Ribe

Why not enjoy a Christmas break at the hostel, Danhostel Ribe, in November or December? From the hostel you can have this beautiful view of the Christmas decorated Ribe – Especially if you choose one of the hostel’s best rooms – the ones on the top floor.
Getting around is easy,  central Ribe, shops, museums, cafes and pubs, attractions and Christmas events are just a short walk from the hostel.
This is the view from half the rooms at night time:

Christmas view from the hostel

The view from the hostel is amazing during Christmas time both at daytime and nighttime – although snow is not guaranteed.
Read more about Christmas time in Ribe and see Danhostel Ribe‘s Christmas offers: Christmas Holiday in Denmark

Links that might interest you:

• Ribe Info
• 10 things to do for free in Ribe – Denmark
• Visitribe – tourist office, tourist information
• Viking Ribe in Viking Denmark
• Don’t miss a tour in Denmark’s newest UNESCO World Heritage: Wadden Sea National Park during winter you will see big flocks of geese and swans
• Ribe is Europe’s Best Big-Time Small Destination 2014
• A Ribe dog – a genuine Heinz 57. (Ribehunden et gadekryds)

Finally a short video showing the atmosphere in Ribe at Christmastime.

The video is made by TVEsbjerg
All Christmas photos are taken by Gudrun Rishede, Danhostel Ribe

Also experience in Ribe at Christmas time:

• Christmas Concerts
• Live music in the streets
• This year’s Emil – Grading of the best Christmas beer
• Christmas dance around the Christmas tree with Santa
• and more