Mar 04 2025 8 mins 22
Gækkebrev are a great Danish tradition, but like many other Danish traditions, they are fighting to survive amid the country’s ambitious digital agenda.
What is a gækkebrev, or gække letter? A single piece of paper, cut into a lace-like design somewhat like a snowflake, sent anonymously in the days before Easter.
A poem is handwritten on the letter, but it is unsigned...except for a number of dots that correspond to the number of letters in the sender's name.
If you can guess who sent the letter, that person owes you a chocolate Easter egg. If you can't guess, you owe them a chocolate Easter Egg whenever they reveal themselves.
Needless to say, gækkebrev are very popular with small children looking for candy.
(The "gække" refers to a vintergække flower that used to accompany the letter back in the day)
But the tradition is slowly dying out, thanks to Denmark's widespread digitalization. Paper letters have almost disappeared; it's quite possible to go for months without receiving any physical mail at all.
Stamps and coins are also dying out. While Denmark got a new king more than a year ago, I've yet to see his image on any stamps or coins...because I so rarely see stamps or coins.
Read more at howtoliveindenmark.com.
