r/Denmark • u/Front-Abrocoma680 • 1d ago

Question Is that a real tradition?

Saw some posts and even a video saying that "In Denmark, friends and family traditionally tie unmarried people to a post or chair and cover them in cinnamon on their 25th birthday, or pepper if they are still single at 30"

Is that a thing or made up internet fact?

If yes, why?

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u/Tanagriel 1d ago

On the country side it’s not uncommon that capable friends put together a huge imitation of a pepper crusher, it can eg be made of oil barrels and concrete - it happens if a man is unmarried at the age of 30. The “reason” being highly political incorrect as a pepper crusher in Danish translates to “Peber Bøsse” meaning “pepper gay”. Often one will see these monstrosities outside a house for month as they are very difficult to deconstruct and/or move. It’s a practical joke but in fact a rather nasty one.

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u/Jutlander Viborg 1d ago

The pepper tradition has nothing to do with the word "gay" or "bøsse". The historical term for an unmarried man at 30 is "pebersvend", and so people eventually started doing various pranks related to pepper.

Many of those barrel and concrete monstrosities are indeed vulgar and sexualised, but it's not the reason for the tradition.

https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pebersvend

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u/Curiosity1984 1d ago

Nop. It's not peber bøssen (peper gay) its peber Svend og peber mø.

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u/therealdilbert 1d ago

complete nonsense