Created 12 December 2025
Mardi gras traditions in Denmark
Take a look at our guide to those unfamiliar with Mardi Gras traditions in Denmark
It’s the end of Winter and Spring is almost at our doorstep. One of our most beloved Winter traditions in Denmark is Mardi Gras - also known as ”Shrivetide” in England, “Fasteabend” in Germany, and ”Fastelavn” in Denmark.
Take the opportunity to dive into Danish culture and experience the joy of Mardi Gras with silly costumes, decorated barrels and lots of candy. Let us guide you through some of the most cherished traditions and how you can celebrate the holiday here in Kolding.
Why do we celebrate Mardi Gras in Denmark?
Mardi Gras was once a Catholic tradition introduced to Denmark by the Germans in the 13th century, where you would fast for 40 days before Easter.
The name ”Faste-lavn” in Danish means “fasting night”, and it would mark the last big celebration before the fast began, during which foods like meat, fatty foods, and treats were not enjoyed due to stricter times. The same equivalent can be found in Southern Europe, where the Latin phrase “Carne Vale” means “Farewell to meat”, which is the derivative of the word “carnival”.
Nowadays, the Danes mostly participate in the big celebration with costumes, fun activities, and delicious food - without the fasting part.
Festives activities leading up to Mardi gras
Fastelavnsris
An old Mardi Gras tradition is the ”Fastelavnsris”. A bunch of fresh sticks (typically from a birch tree) are decorated with candy, ribbons, paper cut-out of cats, and other fun stuff. It was meant to symbolize fertility, Jesus Christ’s suffering, or to chase away bad spirits.
Nowadays, it is mostly used as a fun decoration during Mardi Gras. A lot of convenience stores will sell premade Fastelavnsris with candy in the days leading up to the celebration.
Fastelavnsboller
A classic Mardi Gras treat is “fastelavnsboller”, which is a Danish pastry filled with sweet cream and decorated with colorful icing. It is usually enjoyed during Mardi Gras, but within the last couple of years the “fastelavnsbolle” has become very popular and is sold long before Mardi Gras. You can get them in several variations and price levels.
Festive activities during Mardi Gras
Mardi Gras can in some ways be seen as the Danish equivalent to Halloween, as both involve fun actitivies with costumes and candy. However, Danes embrace a variety of activities during Mardi Gras.
Costumes
One of the most beloved traditions is the costumes. During Mardi Gras, children and adults dress up for the holiday in creative and fun costumes, due to the tradition’s ties to carnivals. Unlike Halloween, the costumes do not need to be scary in any way, and many people choose to dress up as animals, movie characters, or superheroes.
Hit the cat out of the barrel (Slå katten af tønden)
Another highlight is to ”hit the cat out of the barrel” or ”slå katten af tønden” as the Danes would say it.
A big wooden barrel is decorated in colorful paint with a paper cut-out of a cat and filled with candy. Some families decorate the barrel during the celebration, but most do it beforehand. The paper cut-out of a cat symbolizes the real living cat that was once in the barrel. The cat used to symbolize evil or bad luck, and by hitting the cat in the barrel, you were chasing evil away. A real cat has not been used since the 19th hundreds, and it is completely replaced by the paper cut-out.
The “Fastelavnstønde” is then hung up and everyone lines up to take turns hitting it with a bat, until it breaks and all the candy falls out. The person who knocks out the bottom of the barrel is the Cat King (Kattekongen) and the person who knocks out the final piece of wood is the Cat Queen (Kattedronning). Both are crowned with a paper crown.
Some establishments will have this tradition during their celebration, where you can try it for yourself. Keep a look out for your educational institution or Friday bar, as they might have an event for Mardi Gras.
Trick-or-treating (Rasle)
Mardi Gras is completed by trick-or-treating. Children go door-to-door in their costumes and sing songs, while rattling (rasle) their containers to collect candy or coins.
A classic song would be: “Fastelavn er mit navn, boller vil jeg have. Hvis jeg ingen boller får, så laver jeg ballade. Boller op, boller ned, boller i min mave. Hvis jeg ingen boller får, så laver jeg ballade.” which directly translates to: ”Mardi Gras my name, buns are what I want. If I don’t get any buns, I’ll make a fuss. Buns up, buns down, buns in my tummy. If I don’t get any buns, I’ll make a fuss.” The buns are a reference to “fastelavnsboller, although they are rarely given out during trick-or-treating.
This tradition usually takes place at neighborhoods with lots of children, but if you ever hear a knock on your door and hear the song, just know that there are children waiting for treats outside your door.
Public holidays during Mardi Gras
Mardi Gras is not an official public holiday, however, it is viewed as an important commemorative day. Stores are therefore not closed, as it is with other festive holiday traditions such as Easter and Christmas.
Mardi Gras is determined by Easter, as it is on the Sunday that is 7 weeks before Easter Sunday.
The day can vary from year to year, as Easter Sunday is based on the following rule of thumb: Easter Sunday falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the spring equinox. Easter therefore can fall between the 22nd of March and the 25th of April, which means that Mardi Gras can fall between the 1st of February and the 7th of March.