Legend has it that the Danish word for cheers, Skål, comes from the Viking tradition to drink out of the skulls of their vanquished enemies.
Etiquette required the warriors to respond to the call by raising their glass to their lips whilst keeping eye contact with those closest.
Today, all you have to do is raise your glass and drink. After all, maintaining eye contact after your sixth or seventh toast becomes pretty tricky.
Museums Corner this week takes a look at Danish drinking culture – handy timing as you’ll need all the help you can get in the build-up to
Christmas.
A-Z of Danish alcohol
Nov 29 until spring 2015; Rudersdal Museer, Søllerødvej 25, Holte; 20kr, under-18s free adm
An exhibition about the cultural history of alcohol, social life, bars and restaurants.
Learn more about the beer brewing at the farms, the poor man’s schnapps, whiskybæltet (the whisky belt) in north Zealand, shots and sauvignon.
It’s an exhibition about boozing, deliria and death and temperance movement. With Christmas approaching, it couldn’t be better timed – from J-dag to Juleaften, there’s barely a dry day in sight.
Vikings enjoy Xmas too
Nov 29-30, Dec 6-7 & 13-14, 13:00-16:00; The Viking Ship Museum, Vindeboder 12, Roskilde; 80kr; under-18s free adm
On The first three weekends in December you can visit the Viking Ship Museum’s Christmas workshop.
You can create unique Christmas gifts including candles of golden beeswax and wool Christmas decorations – or maybe make a chain of beautiful Viking replica glass beads.
You can also enjoy traditional Nordic glögg and pancakes.
Christmas for creatives
Nov 22-23;11:00-16:00; Heerup Museum, Rødovregaard, Kirkesvinget 1, Rødovre; free adm
The Christmas market at Rødovregaard is an annual tradition held in collaboration with the creative association ‘Plantefarverne’.
Once a year, the whole area around the old farm of Rødovregaard and Heerup Museum is dedicated to celebrating the Christmas spirit with lots of ambiance and unique treasures presented to you by local
craftsmen.
Festive fun at the farm
Nov 30-Dec 1 & Dec 7-8, 10:00-16:00; the Open Air Museum, Kongevejen 100, Kongens Lyngby; free adm
With lots of activities, theatre shows and Christmas-decorated farms, the Open Air Museum tells the story of Christmas preparations and celebrations through the last 200 years.
Feel the Christmas spirit, learn to believe in the teasing elves (nisser) and enjoy the taste of freshly-baked cookies. Some activities require payment, so don’t forget to bring cash.
Find out more at http://www.cphmuseums.com/.
