Father's Day

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Lesson Transcript

Culture Class: Holidays in Denmark, Lesson 21 - Father's Day

Hello and welcome to the Culture Class: Holidays in Denmark Series at DanishClass101.com.

In this series, we’re exploring the traditions behind Danish holidays and observances. I’m Michael, and you're listening to Season 1, Lesson 21, Father's Day. In Danish, it’s called fars dag.

Father's Day is easily overlooked because of Constitution Day, as both fall on June 5th every year.

The day is in many ways similar to Mother's Day.

In this lesson, you'll learn how Danes celebrate Father's Day.

Now, before we go into more detail, do you know the answer to this question:

Why is Father's Day not celebrated on the second Sunday in November as it is in the other Nordic countries?

If you don't already know, you’ll find out a bit later. Keep listening.

Of course, many fathers around the country look forward to fathers' day. However, you can also find many children scrambling to find the right last-minute gift—especially adult children.

Those who have not forgotten the day usually purchase gifts in the form of beer, wine, or stronger beverages, chocolate, a good dinner, or a gift card. Some children also opt to buy practical, everyday items like tools, underpants, or equipment for the barbecue.

Traditions for Father's Day vary from family to family. For example, if you have small children, as a father, you can almost certainly expect to get a "homemade gift" or hjemmelavet gave.

Along with it, you might also receive a "homemade card," hjemmelavet kort.

In some families, it may be a tradition to serve breakfast in bed or just make a little extra breakfast. Others may choose to wait until the afternoon and surprise their father with cake.

Of course, there are also some people who wait to celebrate Father's Day until the evening, when the whole family eats out or makes their father's "favorite dish", or livret, at home.

Some fathers may not want any special celebration at all.

It is believed that Father's Day stands in the shadow of Mother's Day, because the father's role has not always been celebrated in the same way that a mother's role in the family has traditionally.

Now it's time to answer our quiz question:

Why isn't Father's Day celebrated on the second Sunday in November as in the other Nordic countries?

Because the Board of Nordic traders, which would rather have Father's Day in the fall, forgot to communicate the changing of the date properly. So Denmark held on to June 5.