Julekalender: Traditional and … bizarre seasonal offings on the way

Enough holiday programming to guarantee at least one fight over the remote

Ah, the julekalender. A vital tradition of the Danish festive holiday, which depending on who you ask can either make your Christmas or break your family.

Starting on 1 December, both DR1 and TV2 will each offer up 24 (or 25 … or even 30 … see below) episodes of a holiday-themed show containing Danish humour, sentimental pathos, silliness and enough bad acting to send Metacritic’s needle forever into the red zone. 

READ MORE: After 50 years, Christmas calendar adds an extra day

Although some would regard the internet age's ability to pretty much catch up on every episode at will as an improvement, some of the charm of gathering the whole brood around the TV to watch either a well-loved classic or a new offering has been lost. 

Youngsters, especially, used to plan their evenings around the airings, and the wise mom knew to keep the Christmas duck on hold until that final 24 December episode was broadcast.

No Danglish this year
Sadly, ‘The Julekalender’, beloved by expats for its somewhat sketchy humour and pastiche of Danglish, is not in the mix this year. Og that is en skam. 

DR1 is offering up a brand new julekalender this year: 'Tidsrejsen'. It's a 'Back to the Future'-type adventure that includes young Sofie – whose greatest wish is that her parents reunite in time for Christmas – her wacky inventor grandfather and a kid that seems to know way more about Sofie’s life than he should. DR claims this holiday sci-fi stalker tale is perfect for the whole family.

TV2 is bringing back Pyrus, the world’s biggest, and perhaps most irritating, nisse. A “visting princess from the Far East” has be taught about Santa Claus, and Pyrus and his elfin pals (including That Theatre regular Christiane Bjørg Nielsen) are up to the task. 

READ MORE: Counting the days; At Christmas expectation is everything

Although DR was for many years the only outlet that had a julekalender, these days you can't swing a dead elf without hitting one. 

I’m dreaming of a sex-filled, hash-influenced Christmas
Kid’s channel Ramasjang has a few on offer and DR2 is bringing back Ali, Hassan and 'Yallahrup Færgeby’ – a series that originally aired in 2007. 

The controversial show features sex, gambling, hash smoking, terrorist recruitment integration and other Christmas-y topics. Originally conceived as a Ramadan calendar, 'Yallahrup Færgeby’ features 30 episodes and runs until 30 December.

DR3 is running the charmingly titled ‘fuckr with dn jul’ – five-minute episodes that, according to the program guide, feature famous people and “psychological manipulation and unknown facts about Christmas”.

Cosy.

TOP STORIES

  • Bestselling author of ‘The Year of Living Danishly’ Helen Russell on why she moved back to the UK after 12 years

    Bestselling author of ‘The Year of Living Danishly’ Helen Russell on why she moved back to the UK after 12 years

    After more than a decade living in Denmark, Russell shares why she made the move, how she’s coping, what she already misses, and the exciting new projects she’s working on. “It’s been a very tough decision. I love Denmark, and it will always hold a special place in my heart,” she says.

  • Denmark launches first AI supercomputer

    Denmark launches first AI supercomputer

    The new Gefion AI supercomputer is one of the world’s fastest and will accelerate research and provide new opportunities in Danish academia and industry.

  • Navigating big love, big moves and big feelings

    Navigating big love, big moves and big feelings

    Experts believe it takes seven years to move into a new culture, according to leading Danish psychologist Jette Simon and therapist Vibeke Hartkorn. For expat couples, the challenges of starting a new life together in Denmark can put pressure on relationships, but emotions-focused therapy can help.

  • More and more Danes are working after retirement age

    More and more Danes are working after retirement age

    Politicians debate a lot these days about when you can retire. The reality shows that an increasing number of Danes like to work, even if they can withdraw from the labor market. Financial incentives help.

  • Environmental activist fears death in prison if extradited to Japan

    Environmental activist fears death in prison if extradited to Japan

    Canadian-born environmental activist Paul Watson has been in prison in Greenland for almost 100 days awaiting an extradition decision for a 14-year-old offence against a Japanese whaling vessel that he calls a “minor misdemeanor”. The 73-year-old had previously passed through Ireland, Switzerland, Monaco, France and the USA without trouble, before Greenlandic police arrested him in July.

  • Denmark too slow to ease recruitment rules for non-EU service workers, say industry associations

    Denmark too slow to ease recruitment rules for non-EU service workers, say industry associations

    When the Danish government in January presented the first of its schemes to make it easier to recruit foreign labour from outside the EU, it was hailed by the healthcare and service sectors as a timely and important policy shift. But while healthcare changes have been forthcoming, the service sector is still struggling, say the directors of the industry association Dansk Industri and one of the country’s largest private employers ISS.

Connect club

Connect Club is your gateway to a vibrant programme of events and an international community in Denmark.

Sign up here

Career

  • Come and join us at Citizens Days!

    Come and join us at Citizens Days!

    On Friday 27 and Saturday 28 of September, The Copenhagen Post will be at International Citizen Days in Øksnehallen on Vesterbro, Copenhagen. Admission is free and thousands of internationals are expected to attend

  • Diversifying the Nordics: How a Nigerian economist became a beacon for inclusivity in Scandinavia

    Diversifying the Nordics: How a Nigerian economist became a beacon for inclusivity in Scandinavia

    Chisom Udeze, the founder of Diversify – a global organization that works at the intersection of inclusion, democracy, freedom, climate sustainability, justice, and belonging – shares how struggling to find a community in Norway motivated her to build a Nordic-wide professional network. We also hear from Dr. Poornima Luthra, Associate Professor at CBS, about how to address bias in the workplace.

  • Lolland Municipality launches support package for accompanying spouses

    Lolland Municipality launches support package for accompanying spouses

    Lolland Municipality, home to Denmark’s largest infrastructure project – the Fehmarnbelt tunnel connection to Germany – has launched a new jobseeker support package for the accompanying partners of international employees in the area. The job-to-partner package offers free tailored sessions on finding a job and starting a personal business.

Want to advertise your job with CPH Post?

Contact us

Jobs