Chapter 5 Interaction with Danes

This is an excerpt from the Worktrotter's Guide to Denmark.

Traditions and rules constitute a country’s culture, but many of them are unwritten. The following chapter is designed to familiarise you with Danish customs and describes practices that are rather typical for Denmark. However, there will of course be variations, depending on the age of the Danes you meet and whether or not they are very conscious of tradition.

Once you have made it into the “inner circle“ of Danes, you might receive invitations to dinner parties. You therefore also need to know a little bit about how invitations work in Denmark. The last thing you want to do is to start off by destroying a newly-acquired and hard-earned friendship right away. For example: if you arrive later than an invitation specifies, you will find – instead of a handful of new potential friends – an unforgiving table, full of starving people wondering where your manners are. Another faux pas: you invite a group of friends to come round at 6 p.m., and then serve them nothing but snacks.

5.1 General etiquette

Knowing some general etiquette in Danish facilitates a polite and cultivated demeanour.
Salutation
Hej = Hello
Dav(s) = Hello
Goddag = Hello
Godmorgen = Good morning
Godaften = Good evening
Godnat = Good night
Hej, hej = Bye
...

Contents of Chapter 5. Interaction with Danes
5.1 General etiquette
5.2 Invitations
5.2.1 Meal names
5.2.2 Invitation to dinner
5.2.3 Procedures for major celebrations
5.2.4 Weddings
5.2.5 “Round” birthdays
5.2.6 Confirmations
5.2.7 Baptisms
5.2.8 Wish lists
5.3 Traditional festivities
5.3.1 Public holidays
5.3.2 Traditions
5.4 Traditional Danish food

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