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How to Live in DenmarkAuthor: Kay Xander Mellish
Quick takes on life in Denmark, in 10 minutes or less. Life as an international in Denmark, one of the world's most homogenous countries, isn't always easy. In Denmark's longest-running English-language podcast, Kay Xander Mellish, an American who has lived in Denmark for more than a decade, offers tips for enjoying your time in "the world's happiest country" plus insights on Danish culture and Danish working culture. Whether you're living in Denmark, thinking about moving to Denmark, or interested in a job in Denmark and want to understand Danish business culture, this podcast will offer insights and guidance. Each episode of How to Live in Denmark is less than 10 minutes longperfect for your coffee break or commute. Join Kay Xander Mellish as she shares quick, witty, and useful insights on Danish culture and Danish working life in this short-form podcast series. "How to Live in Denmark" tackles topics that will help you understand the Danish way of living, emphasizing work-life balance, the unique Danish workplace culture, and the social norms that define Danish society. With Denmark's renowned flat hierarchy, workplace flexibility, and emphasis on equality, understanding the subtleties of Danish work etiquette is essential for anyone working in Denmark or engaging with Danish businesses. Our discussions also delve into Denmark's flexicurity system, a distinctive approach to labor market regulation that blends flexibility with security, providing insights on how this model supports a dynamic and adaptive work environment. Listeners considering entrepreneurship in Denmark or business ventures in Denmark will find strategic advice on navigating the Danish labor market and leveraging business opportunities in a society known for its innovation and egalitarian corporate culture. (Is Denmark socialist? No, it's more free-market than the US or UK.) Expats in Denmark will particularly benefit from episodes focusing on cultural integration, socializing in Danish workplace Language: en-us Genres: Business, Careers, Places & Travel, Society & Culture Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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Danish dinner party customs & why it's OK to break your Royal Copenhagen cup
Saturday, 14 February, 2026
Some might say that the most Danish piece of furniture is the chair. The Swan Chair, the Egg Chair, the Wishbone chair. They're all international design classics. You can buy a poster with 100 of the top Danish chairs, and if you go to Designmuseum Danmark there is a hall of chairs you can walk through, the display cases stacked three high. Chairs, chairs, everywhere. But I think the most Danish piece of furniture is the table. It is where traditional Danish cuisine is enjoyed, and sitting around the table, and sitting and sitting and sitting there for hours after a long meal, is where hygge reigns and people are included – or excluded, as the case may be. A dinner invitation in Denmark A dinner invitation to someone's home is an honor in Denmark, and people often dress better for it than they might dress for work. Ladies put on a pretty ruffled blouse, men might wear a suit jacket or at least a shirt with buttons. And everyone arrives precisely on time. There's no such thing as fashionably late in Denmark; that's not the Danish dinner party customs. For a dinner party like this, the host or hostess will set an elaborate table. There will be cloth napkins in napkin rings, probably some candles, maybe a few carefully chosen flowers as a centerpiece, not so many that you can't see the person on the other side of the table. And there will be different glasses for different drinks. Water glasses, wine glasses, and often tiny little glasses for toasting with aquavit. Setting a beautiful table is a Danish art form. Bring out the Royal Copenhagen dishes Dinner parties are usually a very good time to bring out the Royal Copenhagen dishes. You can't talk about Danish tables without talking about Royal Copenhagen, that blue and white porcelain first produced in 1775. At the time, porcelain was a real marvel. It's hard to believe now, we're all so used to looking at antique shops full of unwanted dishes and kitchy porcelain figurines, but at the time, porcelain was the stuff of kings. If you think Royal Copenhagen porcelain is just for tourists and ladies of a certain age, think again. It is hugely popular among young people. I work part time in a shop and I sell a lot of Royal Copenhagen porcelain to women in their 20s. Two great business decisions from Royal Copenhagen That's because of two great business decisions. First of all, Royal Copenhagen, which is now owned by a Finnish company, keeps updating its patterns. The hand-painted dishes you buy now are not the hand-painted dishes grandma used to have with their little bitty lacy patterns, although you can still buy those if you want them. But the most popular patterns now are bigger and bolder, still in the same cobalt blue. And you can put them in the dishwasher. Breakage guarantee means you actually use your dishes Secondly, in a strategy that should be studied by marketing students, they have a breakage guarantee. If a piece of your fancy porcelain breaks within two years of purchase, you get a new one for free. This is to encourage people to actually eat off their plates, and use their coffee cups for coffee, instead of stashing them in a glass cupboard where people will look at them and dust them but never use them. If you're Danish and are welcoming a new colleague to the country, or maybe the international spouse of a Danish friend, a piece of Royal Copenhagen to start their collection is a nice gift. A team of co-workers did this for my housewarming when I first got here. I still have it.
