Hello Everyone.
Fastelavn is just around the corner, on March 2nd! If you’ve been in Denmark for a while, you might have noticed kids dressed up in costumes, the tradition of "slå katten af tønden" (hitting the barrel to "free the cat"), and of course, delicious fastelavnsboller (sweet buns filled with cream or other) which you probably see in every bakery at the moment.
Have you experienced Fastelavn in Denmark? What was surprising or interesting to you?
Have you tried fastelavnsboller? What’s your favorite type—classic, cream-filled, or something new?
Does your home country have a similar holiday (like Carnival, Mardi Gras, or Halloween)? How do the traditions compare?
Fastelavn Language Challenge!
Here are some useful Fastelavn-related words and phrases in Danish. Try using them in a sentence to your neighbour or answering the discussion questions in the comment section below in Danish!
Nyttige ord og udtryk (Useful words and expressions):
- Fastelavn – Fastelavn
- Udklædning – Costume
- Slå katten af tønden – "Hit the cat out of the barrel" (the barrel game)
- Kattedronning/Kattekonge – "Cat Queen/Cat King" (the winners of the game)
- Fastelavnsbolle – Fastelavn bun
- Fastelavn er mit navn – "Fastelavn is my name" (first line of a traditional Fastelavn song)
Mini-øvelse (mini-practice):
Prøv at udfylde sætningen:
"Til Fastelavn skal jeg klæde mig ud som ____, og jeg vil spise mange ____!"
(At Fastelavn, I will dress up as ____, and I will eat many ____!)
I look forward to seeing your answers below, or in a private message to me, your community manager. I am here to help if you need it!
Alison, OLS Community Manager - Danish