10 More Adorable Danish Villages you Don’t Want to Miss in Denmark

On December 7, 2022January 24, 2023 By oregongirlaroundtheworldIn Denmark, Scandinavia3 Comments

These tiny Danish towns are chock full of charm.

EXPERIENCE AUTHENTIC DENMARK IN ONE OF THESE LIKEABLE VILLAGES

Come to Denmark, she said. But expand your Danish experience outside the capital Copenhagen. Try a slice of little village life in one of these idyllic spots across the country. It can feel like a step back in time to wander the medieval centers filled with cobblestoned charm. This is my second list of darling Danish towns – adding ANOTHER 10 places to put in your planning when visiting Scandinavia.

Want to see the first? Read it right here. But don’t think those are better and these towns second-tier. To be honest, it’s just the order in which we had the opportunity to visit. With twenty little adorable Danish villages to choose from – where do you start? Maybe by region.

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Where to Celebrate an Old School Danish Jul

On November 5, 2022November 17, 2022 By oregongirlaroundtheworldIn Christmas, Denmark6 Comments

Finding old-fashioned Christmas hygge around Denmark

The Danes adore Christmas and hold fast to their holiday rituals. From what they eat to how they decorate their trees and abodes. Want to get a sense of where those customs all started? Step back in time at one of these historic spots across the country. It’s a fun way to explore the beginnings of all those Danish Christmas traditions.

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10 Ways to Make the Most of Christmas in Copenhagen

On November 3, 2022January 24, 2023 By oregongirlaroundtheworldIn Christmas, Copenhagen, Denmark24 Comments

Jul love Christmas in the Danish capital.

When living in Denmark. I say. Bring on Christmas.

It’s November now. The clock has turned back and the dark descends earlier each evening. By Christmas, it’ll be down to a mere seven hours of daylight per day around Denmark. No need to fret. Don’t be concerned. Bust out your candles and spark on those fairy lights. Let’s get our Jul on. It’s one of the things I adored most about living in Denmark. And Danish Christmas activities kick off quickly – the first Friday of November – with J-Dag and the delivery of julebryg, or Christmas beer all over Copenhagen. Soon the Julemanden, Denmark’s version of Santa, will illuminate the streets with stars, hearts, and twinkles swathed above this pretty city’s historic center. Continue reading “10 Ways to Make the Most of Christmas in Copenhagen” →

Parenting Teens in Denmark – 5 Things That Were Outside of My Box

On May 12, 2022February 1, 2023 By oregongirlaroundtheworldIn American Expat, Denmark, Expat Life25 Comments

WHEN PARENTAL ETHNOTHEORIES CLASH

How we are raised, the cultures we grow up in, and where we are from impact so many aspects of our lives. How we parent is a major one. Studies have been done on “parental ethnotheories” – those unseen cultural expectations, adaptations, and norms that shape our beliefs about the “right” ways to parent children. They become part of our own personal internal processes, so much so that we aren’t even aware. Unless that is, you remove yourself from that culture. You move away. There is no better way to question your own parenting systems and choices than to move to a foreign country.

Originally posted 2016, updated 2022
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Bicycles on the Fanø island beach and summer houses in the Dunes

Find Your Way to the Fantastisk Danish Island of Fanø

On July 19, 2021July 19, 2021 By oregongirlaroundtheworldIn Denmark4 Comments

Just off the west coast of Denmark sits a little island full of nature, history and culture

In the dusky twilight hours of near Scandinavian midnight, we traverse the grassy dunes to the immense and wide open windswept beach beaming special UV lights. Flashy yellow-tinted goggles made of plastic protect our eyes and focus our hunt. Here, on the tiny Danish island of Fanø, lucky seekers might find bits of ancient amber washed up in the sand. With patience and perseverance, suddenly a bit of luck – a little speck gleams in the ultraviolet light. Jackpot! The tiniest fleck of the coveted gem. Our collected dust won’t bring in the big bucks as amber hunting is apparently much better in the shoulder seasons of autumn and spring or after a storm. But still, the late Danish sunshine and mild breezes blowing down the beach make the outing all the more fun come summer. Come to Fanø, she said. It’s fantastisk here. Especially this time of year.