In December I returned to Copenhagen for a few days escape. I explored some new areas including Christianshavn where I wandered down a picture perfect street called Wildersgade. I also visited the Glyptotek gallery for a second time and spent a while looking around the magnificent sculptures including the two huge lions in one of the lobbies. It’s wonderful that the word for lion in Danish is løve.

One of the main reasons I visited was to experience the Santa Lucia Day celebrations that take place each year on December 13th. In Scandinavia this date coincided with Winter Solstice and the day celebrates light coming back into the darkness. You can read more about the tradition here. I heard about a lovely, quirky custom that the kayak clubs of Copenhagen embrace. As the light fades, they cover their kayaks in fairylights and take to the canal. Hundreds of them drifting along the water. Crowds gathered and there was a lovely sense of calm as we all watched spellbound.