December has arrived! That means Christmas galore and the last issue of Unfolded for the year.

This issue of Copenhagen Unfolded is written by Christina, who is an assistant on VisitCopenhagen's digital channels. Her favourite things about Christmas are feasting on Quality Street imported straight from her native Dublin, dreaming of renting a cottage in the Cotswolds where Jude Law happens to ring the doorbell, and in case her professors are reading along, of course writing exams 🤪

Before we dream of a white Christmas, watch Santa Claus kiss mom and watch Christmas movies flat out, we need to experience the Christmas spirit in Copenhagen! Every single day of December offers magical experiences that will make even the biggest Grinch look forward to Christmas.

• Lucia parade in the canals of Copenhagen
• Christmas tabels at Royal Copenhagen
• Christmas in magical Dragør
• December's favourites

If you can't get enough of our recommendations for Copenhagen, you can always check out our Instagram or visitcopenhagen.com

If you are unfamiliar with the Danish tradition around Sankta Lucia (Saint Lucy), I’ll quickly explain: every year on her death day, December 13, a parade of light is performed. Usually, children walk with candle lights, lead by a girl with a light crown, to remember Lucia, who died as a martyr. In Copenhagen, there is an annual sailing Lucia parade on the canals. With a choir in a motorised boat and the rest of the procession in illuminated kayaks, it's a very special - and very Copenhagen - experience.

Photo: Lukas Bukoven

Wrap yourself warm and stand along the canals at one of the stops so you can experience the parade – and perhaps try to sing along to the Sankt Lucia song. If you're a seasoned kayaker, or maybe just a little adventurous and want to live your best “pull like a dog” life, you can hire a kayak from Kayak Republic and join the parade. Personally, I'll stay on land with a cup of hot chocolate and enjoy the lights, the songs and the atmosphere.

Christmas is a time of traditions, and in my family we have a tradition of going to Royal Copenhagen's flagship store on Amagertorv to see the decorated Christmas tables. This year is no exception. For 61 years, various famous Danes have been invited to design a Christmas table that reflects them and their family's traditions. This year, object designer Julius Værnes Iversens, paper artist Veronica Hodges and artist, florist and author Poppykalas are setting the table.

Photo: Jeppe Bjørn for Royal Copenhagen

As someone who grew up in a Danish-Irish home that balanced two different religions and two very different ways of celebrating Christmas (I value Mrs. Brown's Boys more than Pyrus, a Danish nisse, for example), it feels wonderful to experience the Christmas tables at Royal Copenhagen and be reminded that traditions are not "one size fits all", but up to the individual family. That's what makes Christmas tables so intimate for me to witness, and who knows - maybe I'll find a new tradition to add to my Christmas?

I love Dragør because it's a chameleon town in my opinion: it's fantastic, whatever the season. Christmas is no exception, and this year, when the Danish Christmas calendar filmed in Dragør, Tidsrejsen 2, is released, the atmosphere has been turned up a notch.

Photo: Mark Tanggaard

Every day until Christmas, Amagermuseet organises a walk around Dragør, where you can experience the small streets. The final destination is different every day, as the goal is a new window that is ‘switched on.’ In this way, the whole town acts as one big calendar, where private families participate with their own decorations, traditions and cosiness.

The Christmas market in Dragør is also worth a visit and is open every weekend in the run-up to Christmas. Here you can buy Christmas gifts made by locals, get something to warm you up, and wonder if there's something sweet for the palate.

Finally, I'm actually going home to Ireland to say Nollaig Shona Daoibh to my family. ☘️ It's not exactly a Copenhagen recommendation to leave the place, but for me, this is what Christmas is truly about - spending time with the ones you love, whether it's in Copenhagen, Dublin or somewhere else. So, wherever you are in the world: Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the entire VisitCopenhagen editorial team. We look forward to showering you with more Copenhagen recommendations in 2025.

Remember, these are just my recommendations. At the editorial office, we're just as interested in hearing yours, so please let us know if there's anything you feel thatr we've missed.

We’ll be back in a month with much more on all the best of Copenhagen. 

Copenhagen Unfolded is published by VisitCopenhagen. Our goal is to tell the world about Copenhagen and the great experiences that are to be had here. This issue of Copenhagen Unfolded is put together by Kasper Syhler, Christina Daubjerg Newman, Andrea Lundgaard and Emil Kristensen. 

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Copenhagen Card

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