Danes love Christmas. As November starts progressing you will start seeing small decorations popping up here and there in people’s homes. A lot of these decorations, especially decorations connected to the Advent wreath, often come decorated in items from nature, such as moss, branches and pine cones.

Making such items are not a tradition from where I come, not least because we don’t have forests from where to go and pick up most of the ‘nature’ elements used to decorate most of them. Since I moved to Denmark I have made one with Michael’s mother every year, but then I typically just feel overwhelmed in the process, not least because I don’t know the dos and don’ts that the Danes seem to know instinctively. Therefore, besides that once a year, I mainly admire them from afar.

Most Danes seem to learn how to do such items as kids by doing with their parents. However, there are always new things coming out, so through colleagues I have discovered ‘Christmas Inspiration’ evenings at one of Sonderborg’s florists/home decor stores: Frøken Fin. I went to the first day of inspiration evenings with my colleagues to check what this is all about.

The evening consisted of around 45 minutes of being shown different ways of combining different bases (glass, copper, zinc), nature objects (pine cones, moss, branches) and decorative items (lights, ribbons, candles) to make pretty objects to decorate your house with over the winter and Christmas period. Following the demonstration there was then glogg and biscuits and we could walk around the shop and buy stuff (if we wanted to).

I must admit that even though they must have kept it simple the basics were not covered (e.g. Where do you get the moss from? Candle safety? Keeping the arrangements looking fresh), but this was an inspiration evening after all not a course. Also, talking to my colleagues it seems like the answers to all these questions are instinctively known by them, so maybe I was the only one slightly lost (the event being in Danish probably didn’t help either).

Nevertheless, a very pleasant evening being exposed to a way of decorating your house that is quite Danish (at least from a Southern European point of view). If you are interested in joining there are more events coming up during November:

• Monday 10. Nov at 18.00 and 20:00
• Wednesday 12. Nov at 18.00 and 20:00
• Thursday 13. Nov at 18.00 and 20:00

If you want to join just call the shop on 7442 2225 or visit the shop itself on Ringgade, The event is free and up to 20 individuals are allowed each time. It made for a very pleasant evenings, especially as there was no hard sell to buy items in the shop. So if that is something that worries you, don’t need to worry. But do take some money with you, as you will probably be inspired to buy something!