Scan Magazine

By Signe Hansen

When you visit Den Gamle By (the Old Town) in Aarhus in December, it is not only like walking into a capsule of Christmas magic you also walk hundreds of years back in time!

The Old Town is located in the incredibly cosy Aarhus which, as the largest town in Jutland, Denmark, is worth a visit in its own right. But when that is said, no visitor should leave without having spent at least a couple of hours strolling around the 75 historical houses gathered from all over Denmark which constitute the fairytale-like Old Town.

Christmas at Hans Christian Andersen’s time
The Old own presents an authentic experience of how it was to live, work and celebrate Christmas in a market town from the 15th century to the beginning of the 20th century. “A visit to the Old Town is a Christmas tradition for many, it takes you on an emotional trip back to the unspoiled Christmas,” says PR Manager Merete Pallesen adding, “the traditions of Christmas bind families and generations together and families with parents, grandparents and children are a major element of our visitors,.

Take part in the magic
With spruce festoons, gas lights and beautifully decorated shop windows the town exudes Christmas joy, and through the many special exhibitions and events you can become a part of it all: ride through town in a hackney carriage, taste the honey cakes fresh out from the wood fired stove or explore the Christmas exhibition. The exhibition enacts and illustrates the development of the Danish Christmas over the last 300 years with actors dressed in authentic costume ensuring that, though educational, it never gets boring.
The town also has plenty of possibilities for finding unique gifts, but one thing that is missing is the usual Christmas stress: “I think a lot of people are positively surprised by the calm atmosphere and I am sure that some of our guests are relieved to realise that Christmas has not always been such a gift rush.”

The Old Town’s Christmas exhibition is open November 21, 2009 – January 3, 2010, except December 24, 25 and 31, and January 1.
For more details visit: www.dengamleby.dk