It's the first Sunday of Advent. Originally (and if you want to be specific to details also today) advent was a time to prepare for the celebration of Jesus’ birthday. As with all things Christian Danes have an interesting relationship to Christmas and the month leading up to it. We are obsessed with and cherish very old and very Christian traditions like making Advent wreaths, lighting one new candle each of the four Sundays before Christmas, going to church on Christmas eve and singing Christmas hymns at public as well as private gatherings throughout December. 80.4 % of Danes are members of the National Lutheran Church (www.km.dk/folkekirken). From an outside perspective we seems pretty religious and dedicated to Christianity. But when asked if we believe there is a God, only 31 % of Danes answer yes, while 49 % answer they believe there is some kind of spirit or life force and 19 % answer they do not believe there is any kind of spirit, God or life force (Social Values, Science and Technology, Special Eurobarometer 225, 2005).
68 % Danes do not actually believe in God, which among other things indicates that our traditions surrounding Christmas are predominantly cultural traditions.
I bought an advent wreath with my mum today and I’m sure she’s lit the first candle in it by now. I’m excited it’s the first Sunday in Advent, not because I’m religious but because it’s the beginning of Christmas with all the traditions it brings, like Christmas parties, Christmas calendars, Christmas songs, family gatherings, gifts, gløgg and on the 26th of December: Alaska.
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