Then there is the Christmas greeting to Greenland

The sweet Christmas season is upon us this coming weekend, when Christmas trees across the country will be lit on Sunday, the first Sunday in Advent.

But on Saturday things are already getting underway in Denmark, where the Inuit Association invites you to the traditional Christmas Greetings to Greenland. Here, many from the Greenlandic community and many Danes with connections to Greenland meet to celebrate the coming of Christmas together.

Again this year, it is DGI-byen in Vejle that will host the event, which last year attracted 1,500 paying participants.

The Inuit Christmas Greetings to Greenland Association was held for the first time in 1976 – and has been held since, with the corona years as an exception. But there are still a few years until the 50th anniversary.

Over the years, the program has followed the same pattern – the Christmas tree is lit, choir singing, entertainment, speeches, greetings to Greenland and in the evening, a communal meal and dancing.

Celebration of traditions

- Christmas is a celebration of traditions and children – and that's how it should be, says Camilla Siezing, chairwoman of the Inuit Association.

- We must not stand still, so we are constantly working on the format to make it up to date – and also TV-friendly. So there are ongoing small changes, even though it is a very traditional event.

Saturday's program begins at 11 a.m., with a Greenlandic church service in Vejle's large church – St. Nicolaj. The Greenlandic priest in Denmark, Marianne Lynge Krog, will officiate at the service, which will conclude with Guuterput.

Afterwards, things get going in DGI-byen, where the program begins at 2 p.m. with singing and speeches – and then Santa Claus comes by to dance around the tree.

The original plan was for Flemming Jensen – known from Nissebanden i Grønland – to perform, but it didn't happen, Camilla Siezing says.

- I was also really looking forward to Flemming Jensen entertaining, but unfortunately he has been called in sick and cannot come. We wish him a speedy recovery.

The chairman is pleased

However, this does not dampen the Christmas cheer of Camilla Siezing, who is looking forward to the day – just like a child looks forward to Christmas Eve.

- I am incredibly looking forward to our traditional Christmas greeting, where we start the day with a Greenlandic church service, which we are incredibly grateful to be able to hold in Greenlandic.

- I'm really looking forward to hanging out and dancing around the Christmas tree with all the kids and seeing their faces when the elf couple comes in.

- I am looking forward to seeing and being with family and friends from near and far. I am also looking forward to greeting and having fun with our guests, member of parliament Aaja Chemnitz and local city council member Morten Skovlund, who will be helping to send greetings back home to Greenland, says Camilla Siezing.

The pre-sale of tickets for the communal dinner on Saturday evening has ended, but tickets for the afternoon program can still be purchased at the entrance. The program can be viewed in detail on the website of the Inuit Association inuit-dk.dk.

The Inuit Association is the umbrella organization for the Greenlandic associations in Denmark. The association celebrated its 50th anniversary last year.