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AMA
Original poster

I'm from Denmark, ask me anything you might be curious about

159 replies

ScandinavianSummer · 27/03/2024 15:57

Hello everyone! I'm a (very) long time lurker of Mumsnet, particularly the AMA-section - I thought I'd start a thread of my own in case anyone is curious about my country, Denmark, or anything Danish! I'm happy to answer any question!

OP posts:
Andrea87 · 28/03/2024 14:24

TedMullins · 28/03/2024 13:34

Sorry to hijack OP's thread but I've done some work in this area. If you want to learn more, read about Denmark's relationship with Greenland – it's a similar situation there re animal welfare. I'm a vegetarian largely for animal welfare reasons but the more you learn about indigenous cultures, you realise animal rights is largely a white, western concept.

Seal hunting is an Inuit tradition (Greenland is ethnically Inuit, but is a colony of Denmark) but when an EU-wide ban on seal products came in, Inuit source of income was really affected as they could no longer sell products to EU countries even though there was an exception for "traditional hunting methods". Indigenous people from the Scandinavian region do understandably feel intervention in their cultural practices is another facet of colonisation.

It's a really interesting and important topic as I feel we look at colonialism through a very British lens in terms of India, African countries, the Commonwealth etc – but it happens worldwide.

Show quote history

Thank you for explaining .
I shall have a look to find out more .

Pallisers · 28/03/2024 14:30

I don't really have a question but wanted to say we spent 5 wonderful days in Copenhagen last December - it was just a lovely city and lovely trip. A highlight was the viking museum in Rosskilde - and the cathedral there. We also did a lovely train trip to Helsingborg in Sweden and took the ferry across to Helsingor.

We were fascinated by the people swimming (well maybe more like a quick dunk) in the canal outside our hotel every morning - even while it was snowing.

I also had the single nicest encounter I have ever had with a security guard going through the check at Copenhagen airport. He was so charming and delightful - I wanted to take him home with me.

Kanelsnegl · 28/03/2024 14:58

DancingDangerously · 27/03/2024 17:15

👋to @ScandinavianSummer (fellow Dane here but have lived in the UK forever).

Hej fra en til dansker 👋
Have also lived in yhe UK for a long time now and enjoy reading this thread to stroke the home sickness

Kanelsnegl · 28/03/2024 15:10

atlaz · 28/03/2024 11:47

They can't be more ridiculous than French numbers, surely? Few things are.

They are!!

Not op but I am danish,
The numbers are ridiculous and kind of like the French in some ways.
For example 21 would be enogtyve which is one and twenty etc. It gets really confusing when you get further up to 50 which is halvtreds which means halfsixty but it's obviously not half of 60, and as far as I remember it's a shortening of halvtredsindstyvende which is a contractions of halvtredje (2.5) sinde (times) tyve (20) meaning 2.5 times 20 . Several numbers are like that and it's probably easier to just memorise the names rather than the "logic"

So yes. Ridiculous 😅

Edit: quoted the wrong poster meant to quote @AllProperTeaIsTheft

Kanelsnegl · 28/03/2024 15:13

hyperspacebug · 28/03/2024 11:58

Land of introverts like Norway/Sweden?

How do the Danes view small talk? Brits seem to be able to make it the most terrifying unpleasant thing to happen to you during your day, yet in America there seems to be a gift to make small talk light up someone's day.

Edited

I'm danish and I think Brits small talk too much make of that what you will 😅

MumChp · 28/03/2024 15:15

Fun reading as a Dane based in Copenhagen after 15 yo in UK.

MumChp · 28/03/2024 15:20

ScandinavianSummer · 27/03/2024 19:22

I have actually never lived in the UK, so I wouldn't say I'm in a position to make fair comparisons. However, from what I have read on this forum I can definitely say something about childcare and nursery fees. Compared to UK nursery prices, Danish nurseries are a bargain. I believe parents pay around £350 a month for a child in fulltime care. I believe nursery prices for fulltime care in the UK are much, much higher, making it difficult for many parents to afford nursery fees. It's very rare for Danes to worry about whether they can afford nursery, I would say, where it seems to be a huge worry for many UK parents. Parental leave also seems better in Denmark than in the UK as parents get their full salary throughout their one year leave, which I think UK parents don't, necessarily. I also think it seems easier to access healthcare here than in the UK. For instance, I have a lung condition and see a lun specialist for it. There are very few of them in the entire country, but I have still managed to see a lung doctor at a short notice. I also felt unwell in another city so I went to a hospital where I was seen to almost immediately even though it wasn't an emergency situation.

Some things I think UK does better is definitely being more open, particularly to differences and diversity. It's true that Danes can be reluctant to change - whenever societal changes are made, there's usually always some kind of uproar and complaints. But at the same time, people end up just complying with decisions made. We don't have a very strong 'cancel culture' here, I would say.

In the UK you also seem much better at being open and welcoming of 'the unknown'. Danes can be suspicious and wary of foreigners, for instance, which makes it hard for them to be accepted. It's already difficult to be let into Danes' personal sphere, but even more so if you are a foreigner.

Show quote history

True.
But the tax is quite high in Denmark so in that sense a lot of goverment subsided institutions arent "free" or cheap.

MumChp · 28/03/2024 15:23

nopuppiesallowed · 28/03/2024 09:46

Noooo!! I'm coeliac and Denmark was on my list of places to visit 😪

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@Snippysocks

So am I (and no diary) and I am doing fine. Just ask for assistance then dining out.

Crikeyalmighty · 28/03/2024 15:54

@MumChp I do think wages are higher though and because it's easier for both parents to work (unless it's unsocial hours) overall family income is similar to uk (I chatted about this with some lovely women when we lived in CPH) - but with more covered off and paid for - no council tax for instance and well priced child care- certainly if you have kids and both work Denmark to me is a far easier place to 'get by' - far more social housing too- of reasonable quality .

Brambram · 28/03/2024 16:22

@Crikeyalmighty There definitely is council tax in Denmark! Average council tax is around 25%. The child care is however well priced as you say, and if you have a low income can also be free. It’s considered good for children to go to childcare so even parents who are not working (are strongly encouraged to) send their children to daycare.

MumChp · 28/03/2024 16:44

Crikeyalmighty · 28/03/2024 15:54

@MumChp I do think wages are higher though and because it's easier for both parents to work (unless it's unsocial hours) overall family income is similar to uk (I chatted about this with some lovely women when we lived in CPH) - but with more covered off and paid for - no council tax for instance and well priced child care- certainly if you have kids and both work Denmark to me is a far easier place to 'get by' - far more social housing too- of reasonable quality .

@Crikeyalmighty

In Copenhagen and attractive cities you wait 10- 20 years for an offer of social housing. It's not an easy thing to get into today.

Yes. I agree but it comes with a prize. High taxes. And we pay council tax.

Then people are astounded by Scandinavian way of life people rarely think about how and why. The answer is tax.

Malin2Mizen · 28/03/2024 17:59

I am currently on holiday in the Club Is Santa, a Danish owned resort in Lanzarote. It is a very active holiday, and very Danish in vibe - staffing especially. It is 41 years old. Have you heard of it OP, and what do Danes think of it?

Brambram · 28/03/2024 18:11

@Malin2Mizen : I’ve heard of it 😅. Last year I was making small talk with one of the ‘posh’ mothers at school about holidays. I asked her what they’re doing it and she said: going to La Santa, obviously expecting me to know exactly what it is. I haven’t grown up here and had never heard of it so wasn’t suitably impressed 😅. Based on that interaction I would say it’s a place where somewhat posh people like to tell others they’re going/have been to 😉

Crikeyalmighty · 28/03/2024 19:19

@Brambram is it that council tax is paid by the property owners then- ? We rented a nice house - but never had to pay it.

Brambram · 28/03/2024 19:35

@Crikeyalmighty it’s paid by all who are registered in the council, as part of your yearly tax on your income. Were you working in Denmark?
Theres also property tax paid by the house owners.

NooNakedJacuzziness · 28/03/2024 19:54

I'm in Copenhagen on hols at the moment, second time I've been and I love it - I find it such a calm and friendly place. I do find it odd that most people seem to be dressed mostly in black coats though - I'm looking a proper numpty in my bright orange one!

We've done Tivoli and the palace, been on a canal boat trip, visited a food market - so jealous you live here OP!

MumChp · 28/03/2024 21:29

Crikeyalmighty · 28/03/2024 19:19

@Brambram is it that council tax is paid by the property owners then- ? We rented a nice house - but never had to pay it.

@Crikeyalmighty

If you work you pay council tax in Denmark as a part of your taxes. I pay 23% council tax at the moment (+ of course other taxes).

MumChp · 28/03/2024 21:43

ScandinavianSummer · 27/03/2024 19:22

I have actually never lived in the UK, so I wouldn't say I'm in a position to make fair comparisons. However, from what I have read on this forum I can definitely say something about childcare and nursery fees. Compared to UK nursery prices, Danish nurseries are a bargain. I believe parents pay around £350 a month for a child in fulltime care. I believe nursery prices for fulltime care in the UK are much, much higher, making it difficult for many parents to afford nursery fees. It's very rare for Danes to worry about whether they can afford nursery, I would say, where it seems to be a huge worry for many UK parents. Parental leave also seems better in Denmark than in the UK as parents get their full salary throughout their one year leave, which I think UK parents don't, necessarily. I also think it seems easier to access healthcare here than in the UK. For instance, I have a lung condition and see a lun specialist for it. There are very few of them in the entire country, but I have still managed to see a lung doctor at a short notice. I also felt unwell in another city so I went to a hospital where I was seen to almost immediately even though it wasn't an emergency situation.

Some things I think UK does better is definitely being more open, particularly to differences and diversity. It's true that Danes can be reluctant to change - whenever societal changes are made, there's usually always some kind of uproar and complaints. But at the same time, people end up just complying with decisions made. We don't have a very strong 'cancel culture' here, I would say.

In the UK you also seem much better at being open and welcoming of 'the unknown'. Danes can be suspicious and wary of foreigners, for instance, which makes it hard for them to be accepted. It's already difficult to be let into Danes' personal sphere, but even more so if you are a foreigner.

Show quote history

Btw - not all parents get a 100% salary for a year leave from work due to being parents. Depends on your contract.

Crikeyalmighty · 28/03/2024 21:47

@MumChp I think you may be talking about something different to what I mean- I think in Denmark tax on income is split into national and local income tax if I remember correctly. - so it's part of your tax you pay directly from income? I think that's the case.

In UK it's a payment we make totally separately - nothing to do with your income- it's just a payment (big one) you make every month - like going shopping or buying clothes etc. so we pay less tax on income but then still have these other costs.

Crikeyalmighty · 28/03/2024 21:50

@MumChp but it's just one payment per household- not individually and depends on house size and area you live in - some not very nice areas actually have high council tax and some quite nice ones lower council tax- it's all pretty illogical. You get a discount if there is only 1 person in the house.

MumChp · 28/03/2024 21:57

Crikeyalmighty · 28/03/2024 21:47

@MumChp I think you may be talking about something different to what I mean- I think in Denmark tax on income is split into national and local income tax if I remember correctly. - so it's part of your tax you pay directly from income? I think that's the case.

In UK it's a payment we make totally separately - nothing to do with your income- it's just a payment (big one) you make every month - like going shopping or buying clothes etc. so we pay less tax on income but then still have these other costs.

In the end of day same/same. We have lived in UK for 15 years. And as I remember it as we paid a council tax on around 5%. The 23% here is called "kommuneskat" and is paid to your local kommune (council). And yes, things are funded different in Denmark and UK - and called different things. No tax system is the same around Europe or the world.

We paid less taxes working and living in UK than we do working and living in Copenhagen, Denmark but I am happy with a lot of things in Scandinavian (also the ones like cheap childcare that I have no use of as our children are too old for that).

Point is tax is very heavy in Scandinavian so things aren't free or cheep for it citizens (as a lot of people outside Denmark seem to think) - just paid over taxes.

MumChp · 28/03/2024 21:59

Crikeyalmighty · 28/03/2024 21:50

@MumChp but it's just one payment per household- not individually and depends on house size and area you live in - some not very nice areas actually have high council tax and some quite nice ones lower council tax- it's all pretty illogical. You get a discount if there is only 1 person in the house.

@Crikeyalmighty
Denmark does taxes different but believe me. You do pay tax to the council.

Crikeyalmighty · 28/03/2024 23:58

@MumChp yep- I always stress to people that the tax burden is high but I felt you got more for it, especially with young families- as you say it's swings and roundabouts- I really preferred the way it was done there if I'm honest.

MrsBartlet · 29/03/2024 09:06

Thanks for this very interesting thread! Here's a more prosaic question for you! I am visiting Copenhagen for the first time the week after next (can't wait!) Will I need to bring my big winter coat?

Also I have been looking at restaurant menus online and see some offer set menus with the option of adding a wine menu (different price for the wine menu depending on whether you are having a 2 or 3 course meal). How does that work? Do they choose the wine for you? Is is a glass per course? I don't even drink but was very curious about how this works!

AnnaMagnani · 29/03/2024 10:02

The wine menu thing is common in fancy restaurants not just in Denmark. Basically they have chosen all the wine for you and it's a glass of a different wine with each course. The idea is they have picked wines that complement each dish.

Gets interesting if you have a tasting menu and it's 7 or 8 courses remembers being barely able to stagger out of the door before breaking into song