6 December 2015

Supporting Outbound Mobility - through Christmas?

The holiday season is upon us, the lights, trees and decorations are all over. True to tradition, the College of Forest and Landscape holds its annual Christmas market in Fredensborg. This Chrismas market varies from your typical one – it supports students’ field trips abroad and strengthens the study environment bringing students together.

Time consuming – but worth it

The students from the College of Forest and Landscape have found an innovative way of supporting fellow students studying abroad. The proceeds from the student driven Christmas market support their students' academic study trips abroad and other study-related activities.

I joined the planning committee because I love Christmas and to me Christmas starts in October already, says Rikke Wettergren Hansen with a smile. She spends a lot of her time with fellow students to organize the market. All of us put in a lot of effort and time to make it happen. But I personally feel part of something bigger working to support our local study environment and bringing us together on field trips and across academic disciplines. I think serves a higher purpose. She continues.

Bread on a stick, brass band music and Lucia processions

The Christmas market is open to students, staff and the public. It offers Christmas trees, greenery and decorations, mulled wine, waffles and other refreshments. The Christmas market also offers various activities for the audience such as archery, brass band music and Lucia processions – the Danish tradition celebrating the martyr Santa Lucia. The audience can bake bread on a stick on the bond fire and make Christmas decorations. 

The Christmas market is open to the public on two weekends in November and December.

The Christmas market has been a tradition for more than 20 years. According to tradition, it is the second year students volunteering.  The proceeds from previous years have supported field trips to various places such as Rumania, Tanzania, Kenya and New York City. This year’s field trip is going to the Netherlands.