Jump to content

J-dag

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
An advertising display for Tuborg Julebryg

In Danish culture, J-dag (short for "julebryg dag", meaning Christmas beer day) is the name given to the day on which Tuborg Brewery releases its christmas beer, Tuborg Julebryg. The concept was launched in 1990, though it had reportedly been celebrated in the mid-1980s.[1][2] In 2008, the noun j-dag was included in Retskrivningsordbogen, the Danish spelling dictionary.[3]

Background and history

[edit]

Tuborg Julebryg has been Denmark's best-selling Christmas beer since its launch in 1981, and it is the fourth best-selling beer in Denmark.[4] The beer itself is a slightly stronger beer than a regular Tuborg beer, containing a taste of liquorice.[5]

In 1990, Tuborg began marketing the day on which they launched Julebryg as "J-dag". The idea was taken from Tuborg's existing P-dag campaign, involving the launch of their Easter beer.[6] J-dag reportedly came about around the mid-1980s, when, among other things, students marked the launch of the Christmas beer, but it was not until 1990 that Tuborg first launched J-dag as a celebration. J-Day was also partially inspired by a time in the 1980s when on the second Wednesday in November at 23:59, large numbers of people would gather to receive that year's version of the French red wine Beaujolais nouveau.[2]

From 1990 to 1998, the event was held on the second Wednesday of November and Tuborg Julebryg would only arrive a minute before midnight. In 1999, Tuborg's J-dag was moved to the first Friday in November, due to a large number of students and workers either turning up late for school or not turning up at all after partying the night before, with teachers and employers issuing complaints to Carlsberg. From then on, the Julebryg has arrived at 8:59pm.[7]

In 2009, Tuborg's J-day was moved to the last Friday in October, but the following year the day was moved back to the first Friday in November, and it has remained the same ever since.[1] In 2020, for the first time ever, J-dag was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[8]

Celebrations

[edit]

During the event, Tuborg's blue elves distribute thousands of free Julebryg beers and blue Santa hats.[9][10] The theme of "snow" is common on J-dag; when the beer is about to be launched, it is said that "the snow is falling", and the event is often referred to as a "snowstorm".[11] While launched by Tuborg, the name J-dag has become synonymous with the launch of several other Christmas beers.[12] The day is notably celebrated on the famed party street Jomfru Ane Gade in Aalborg.[9] In 1994, Tuborg distributed ice cream rather than beer to partygoers in Odense.[13] The event has frequently seen an increase in policing and spot checks by Danish police.[11][14]

Past Tuborg J-Dags
  • 1990: November 14
  • 1991: November 13
  • 1992: November 11
  • 1993: November 10
  • 1994: November 9
  • 1995: November 8
  • 1996: November 13
  • 1997: November 12
  • 1998: November 11
  • 1999: November 5
  • 2000: November 3
  • 2001: November 9
  • 2002: November 1
  • 2003: November 7
  • 2004: November 5
  • 2005: November 4
  • 2006: November 3
  • 2007: November 2
  • 2008: November 7
  • 2009: October 30
  • 2010: November 5
  • 2011: November 4
  • 2012: November 2
  • 2013: November 1
  • 2014: November 7
  • 2015: November 6
  • 2016: November 4
  • 2017: November 3
  • 2018: November 2
  • 2019: November 1
  • 2020: November 6 (cancelled due to COVID-19)
  • 2021: November 5
  • 2022: November 4
  • 2023: November 3

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "J-dag". Dagens.dk (in Danish). 4 March 2020.
  2. ^ a b Graversen, Finn (30 October 2009). "J-Dagen blev opfundet med et glas Beaujolais i hånden". bureaubiz.dk (in Danish).
  3. ^ Nørby Hansen, Nanna (5 November 2021). "I aften 'falder sneen': Her er 6 ting, du (måske) ikke vidste om J-dag og juleøl". DR (in Danish).
  4. ^ Jørgensen, Sune (2 November 2012). "Top 10: Her er de mest solgte julebryg". TV 2 (in Danish).
  5. ^ Bennetzen, Louise (2016-11-04). "I dag er det J-dag: Derfor elsker danskerne juleøl". www.nyheder.dk (in Danish). Retrieved 2024-10-21.
  6. ^ "OVERBLIK: J-dag betyder typisk øl-smagsprøver i tusindvis". Sjællandske Medier (in Danish). 1 November 2020.
  7. ^ Bulow Hansen, Jacob (1 November 2017). "Island og Rumænien er med når Danmark og Tuborg fejrer J-Dag på fredag". Carlsberg. Archived from the original on 1 November 2023. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
  8. ^ "Årets J-dag er aflyst". DR (in Danish). 2020-09-01. Retrieved 2024-10-21.
  9. ^ a b "For branchen er det en af de vildeste festdage – nu kaldes "maksimalt" personale ind - TV 2". nyheder.tv2.dk (in Danish). 2023-11-03. Retrieved 2024-10-21.
  10. ^ Andreasen Rasch, Sebastian. "I dag falder sneen! - Det er større end nytårsaften". TV MIDTVEST (in Danish). Retrieved 2024-10-21.
  11. ^ a b "Politiet ruster sig til snebajer-ryk". Politiken - Den levende avis (in Danish). Retrieved 2024-10-21.
  12. ^ "I aften 'falder sneen': Her er 6 ting, du (måske) ikke vidste om J-dag og juleøl". DR (in Danish). 2021-11-05. Retrieved 2024-10-21.
  13. ^ "J-dag i 90'erne: Albani gav øl, da Tuborg gav is". TV 2 Fyn (in Danish). Retrieved 2024-10-21.
  14. ^ "Betjente holder klar ved værtshuse". Politiken - Den levende avis (in Danish). Retrieved 2024-10-21.