The Little Match Girl - The Most Beautiful Danish Christmas Story | Denmark 🇩🇰 Nordic REACTION

[@NordicReactions]

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[@arnelilleseter4755]

This story is well known in Norway too. Of course I felt sad when I heard it, but that is the point. Not all stories should have a happy ending, this story would not be nearly as impactful if it did. Even when a was a child it made me think about the fact that not all people are as lucky as I am, and that is an important lesson.

[@KrashTjubang]

I am from Denmark, and have grown up knowing this story. I think it is a christmas story, as its point is gratitude for what you have and also to be aware of those who are not as fortunate as you. Sure there also is a very strong religious part. But it is more the human connections and naratives I see in this story.

[@mikokennoob5032]

I just told it to my 8 year old daughter. She cried but she took it to heart that there are poor children out there. She is grateful to be safe, home and warm, but she wants to help the children. She has been kind ever since she was small, she is stull small, but she wants to help and do help and show kindness to everyone she meets.

[@hurtighansen1]

Now, remember to tell her, evil grownups made her die. Being kind and all good can be really bad. So, that's the real story. Someone did things to her, so she was scared, and she froze to death. Do not think grownups really see the full story, just telling kids, see, safe here. When some is not

[@mikokennoob5032]

@hurtighansen1 Jeg fortalte hende den mest vigtige ting. Der er mange grønlandske børn i danmark som også lever meget hård liv. Næsten som hende. Så vi kommer aldrig til at rejse til danmark, men godt kan hjælpe grønlændere som os fra grønland.

[@ellenstergaardgravesen1011]

No kids should die in the snow or be without love - but I also think that's a point in the story. Being danish I've known it forever and it also made me cry as a child - and even now it can bring tears to my eyes.

[@hurtighansen1]

Back then, we had orphanage, where kids lived in hell. So kids run away, away from nasty grownups. So this is real life story, where grownups use religion to say, she is a better place. She is dead. Nothing after, only nothing.

[@HelleKurstein]

Hans Christian Andersen is not just for children! And - nice observation - he is not Disney-like. Disney take the plot from his stories and make them to something very different - missing the poetry and deeper thought. Each and every HCA fairy tale has messages, thought and humour for mature, thinking adults. 'The Emperor's new clothes' is perhaps the most well known for such message. I wonder why Disney has not made that movie... ;)

[@Quirderph]

For what it's worth, their take on The Little Match Girl was pretty faithful.

[@notwokevikingrules401]

they do that with the Grimm brothers too and they are even darker

[@julianneheindorf5757]

Yeah, Disney certainly botched the true ending of the Little Mermaid 🧜‍♀️

[@Quirderph]

@@julianneheindorf5757 Which one? The author wrote two.

[@zymelin21]

story was written in my town, Graasten, a small town close to the german border. Actually we belonged to imperial Germany from 1864 till 1920. There is a statue in town of the little match girl.

[@herrbonk3635]

Perhaps that's why you produced this man? Being a bit sentimental (in a good way), like the Germans. Unlike most Scandinavians after 1930, that tries so hard to be "modern" and "rational" (sic).

[@MsBlackdeath13]

Our public school teacher read us this story and made us hold a match until it burned out. It’s still a story that comes to mind, when I strike a match and it burns out. It’s a story that makes you think and wanna help others. At least for me it does.

[@julianneheindorf5757]

It’s a very famous story by Danish master story teller, Hans Christian Andersen. Every kid in Denmark grows up knowing this story. In Danish the title of this story is: Den lille Pige med Svovlstikkerne. (The little girl with the lighting sticks (matches)) It’s first publication was in 1845, and the story is about the hopes and dreams of a dying child. My father told me this story when I was eight years old. It made me cry and feel very sorry for the little girl, but I also understood the ending of the story. And it shaped my view on wanting to help people who need it.

[@nocturne7371]

This story is very well known in Sweden too "Flickan med svavelstickorna", but I guess that all HC Andersen's stories are known in all of the Nordic countries.

[@sismofytter]

Most of the world

[@Monej82]

I too grew up with this story (being danish), it used to scare me but also shaped my worldview, that no one should be poor in this world. I carry this story with me, always.

[@Chrille9145]

This story is well known in Sweden as well it’s a weary sad story.

[@michael-gk3ib]

I am a Dane and I remember all the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tales when I heard the little girl with the matchsticks again and with that music I got tears in my eyes. Denmarknand Norden are not darker, we are more grounded in reality, in Denmark we have the Jante law "you should not think you are better or more valuable to others" this means that we in Scandinavia are some of the most honest people, least corrupt and happiest people in the world because we take care of our fellow human beings, We are not perfect, but we try, unlike other places in the world, most Danes are happy to pay a little more in taxes so that everyone is better off, except for the rich pigs, they are greedy and stingy like in the rest of the world. What the story of the little girl should bring out is charity so that no little girl or boy should die alone, children need to know what the real world is like so that they grow up as loving and helpful people.

[@Darkenforcer]

this was what i came here to say, im glad you already made my point

[@AntimatePcCustom]

This story is when people fail to see the benefit of socialism. As a child growing up in Denmark. This story was a strong reminder we need to share resources. So no one needs to die needlesly.

[@Annikadk]

As kid I remember the felt lucky... having a good family, a home and safe. It was an eye opener that not all kids have it.

[@brittcarlsson8609]

I liked it as a child, but I have not been able to read it for my children. I cry to much.

[@Sour84-t9y]

In the Netherlands we know this story as well. We have a theme park called the 'efteling'. Its full of rides (all rides can be found on youtube) and we have a fairytale forest (sprookjesbos). A lot of the fairytales there are from Hans Christian Andersen.

[@cecilie1991]

Okay, I did not know that, and as a dane, I now feel the need to go there sometime, because that sounds awesome 😁

[@Sour84-t9y]

​@@cecilie1991 You are super welcome. I am very curious to know if they do the fairytales justice.

[@cecilie1991]

@@Sour84-t9y I'll definitely write it on my list of places to visit 😃 I wont have time or money for travelling for the next two years, but after that, I'll definitely go travelling for a bit ☺

[@Camilla-l7l]

Not newyear but on Christmas night i have read it a 100 times growing up here in Denmark

[@jannidupont7283]

Nope "Det var så grueligt koldt; det sneede og det begyndte at blive mørk aften; det var også den sidste aften i året, nytårsaften"

[@superbrian113]

It is more than just a story. It is a shootout for us to care about others, not so fortunate people . This is what i as a dane gets from this story, nobody should die alone outside in the cold whilst we other more fortunate are happy inside our warm houses

[@WhoSaidCoffie]

Had to warn my friend (we're both danish) to read her newly acquired HC Andersen collection by herself before just reading them to kids. And if you thought that one was dark, try The Story of a Mother.

[@meepigen]

I understand why you say it’s a sad ending. I grow up with HCA stories, and I was just little girl and I got sad too, I learned that it’s actually it’s a happy ending because when she died, she stop being hungry, freeze, scared of her father and ending be together with her grandmother again… Wish you a very happy new year🎉🍾🩷🥹Love from 🇩🇰

[@anettejrgensen7435]

Its about learn to take care fpr each other

[@nielsen145]

when i was a kid, years ago, we played this story in the church as a play

[@eikebehrmann3493]

i (a dane) did my 9th grade exam on the girl with the matchsticks. it’s most definitely a christmas story, with strong religious overtones (as is common in christmas stories of the time, and H. C Andersons work). An interesting note is that it was published in a calendar: one short story for each month, The girl with the Matchsticks for December. It also, quite interestingly, portrays Anderson’s views on poverty, aid, etc. there’s a clear distinction between the “deserving Poor”, who deserve to be helped because they are good (the girl), and the “Undeserving Poor”, who do not deserve help as they are cruel, such as the boy who steals the girls shoes or the abusive parents.

[@anyahollnderrasmussen7183]

Generally this is a very loved and special story. You should absolutely tell it to your children. As a dane I grow up with this story, and even if it’s very, very sad, (It still makes me sad 😢) like many other danish children, I loved it. This story brings so many philosophical thoughts to children and it gives a sense of mystic wonder, love and empathy for the little matchgirl. . Children can handle it very well …and everything does not have to be nice, warm and sugarcoated.

[@connybenattaia445]

I was just about to write, that I only cry when I hear the story in danish. But I started to cry now anyway 😭 I also cry when I read "Story of a Mother". HCA is one of the best writers ever.

[@JesperSandgreen]

Even 150 years ago children around the world knew H.C.Andersen is/was danish...

[@mariettamb]

I saw a movie with the sad story as child, I cryed like a rain storm, here we was in a warm house, soon to eat a delicious diner and the poor one have nothing to eat or get heat from. The story was told my boys and nephews and there cousins. Many of the danish eventyr stories have a social realistic back story behind. Love them.

[@jimmywayne983]

Whats special about H.C. Andersen is that he effectively is the most read fairytale writer in the world and its a bit random why he became that, but he was and probably still is the only Foreign fairytale writer that is approved by the CCP and mandatory reading in Chinese schools. Walt Disney and disney as a company "borrowed" so much from Denmark, not only stories from H.C. Andersen, but Disney land was to my knowledge an idea that came to life as walt Disney learned about Tivoli in Copenhagen. Yes, Denmark has the worlds 2 oldest amusement parks.

[@agffans5725]

Disney's Frozen is also based on a H.C. Andersen fairy tale, The Snow Queen.

[@MarleneNsgaard-bj4gt]

I know, she sees a christmas tree, there is snow and people rushing home...but it is NOT christmas eve.."It was the last day of the year"...

[@cathrineolsen2317]

Happy holidays and happy new years. Growing up, this story was always one of my favourites. It taught me a few things: Moste important is that death is not scary. It's a beautiful thing, and our loved ones are at peace. It always reminded me to tresure what I had and be compassionate with others.

[@sismofytter]

Most of HC Andersen's faritales are dark and all of them tries to teach you something 🙂

[@NZ-zt5wt]

True. Disney ødelægger dem bare

[@HelleOlsen-br1vf]

they cry but her granmother came for her-. im danish

[@helenetrstrup4817]

Kamelåså indeed. Now I need to go watch that too. Used to be a Scandinavian insider joke at my first job. 🤣 We would just randomly share it in our group chat lol.

[@vrenak]

HCAs tales are lessons, just like the collected fairytales the brothers Grimm wrote down (they didn't invent the tales, but collected old ones and were the first to write them all down). They're meant to teach you important lessons, about life, about nature. They're not meant to make you feel good at all, because that won't leave a lasting impression on you. Incidentally this also makes them excellent school material for kids to analyse and find the message in them, and pick apart the symbolism.

[@akyhne]

Obviously, you only know the Disney version of The Little Mermaid. The original story from H. C. Andersen, has a quite sad ending.

[@cover_mystic545]

In every class I’ve ever been with as we read this story, there’s always someone who starts to cry. Because the love felt in this story is a reminder of a loved one gone, or a person who deserved better in life, kids who are forgotten during Christmas who never have the love and feast, presents and joy that they deserve. It is a sad story for us who HC. Andersen intent to empower to change the outcome. For when you remember this story again you will likely find yourself wishing that things were different and better for the little one, that death wasn’t sweeter than life for the little girl, and that nobody else would ever know and feel the pain and sadness she felt in this story. This story serves as a reminder and a lesson that we in society have a duty to remember those who freeze to death with a match stick in hand, but also that those who have passed are not gone but are sweet memories that we connect with that much more deeply when we remember them during Christmas. Remember this when you cast a vote, because your voice does matter when you have a vote where kids don’t have any. Your voice is stronger than this girl who froze to death, so remember that poor girl who had no loving home to return to, when you throw your vote next time. As this story serves as a warning to those whose duty it was to have stepped in when this girl needed it. Marry Christmas and happy new year.

[@bjørnjacobsengaming]

There are many fairy tales that have been Disneyfied, just look at Cinderella. In the original story from the Brothers Grimm, one stepsister gets her toes chopped off and the other her heel when they try on the glass shoe otherwise they couldn't fit it, their feet were too big and fat. That part is not in Disney's version of the story. The original story was written by two German brothers, the Brothers Grimm. So it's not just in the Nordics that these stories could be a bit harsh; in fact, I'd argue that it was very common for tales from that era before they went through a Disney sander that polished them down to lose their edge and become sugary.

[@Quirderph]

The Disney film was adapted from the Charles Perrault version (as clearly stated in the credits) which *predates* the Grimm version.

[@bjørnjacobsengaming]

@Quirderph Source and proof of date and time?

[@Quirderph]

@@bjørnjacobsengaming Perrault died about eight decades before the Grimm brothers were born. As for which version Disney adapted, they plainly state this in the opening credits.

[@marianielsen9610]

The brothers grimm didn’t write the stories, they just collected a lot of very of old european foke tales, that had been passes down from generation to generation, and no one knows who created them.

[@bjørnjacobsengaming]

@marianielsen9610 Blah blah blah, I don't care, get the point and stop being a smartass. I've heard another version of Cinderella from a book called Brothers Grimm's Fairy Tales. And that version was more gloomy than the one Disney tells. The point is that he who commented on The little match girl by H.C. Andersen, was dark and gloomy, and he imagined it had something to do with Scandinavian culture. There I referred to the tale of Cinderella in the version I had heard from the Brothers Grimm's book, because I know that the Brothers Grimm were not Scandinavian, but German, and therefore it cannot have anything to do with Scandinavian culture, but more with the way stories were written/told back then - whether the Brothers Grimm wrote them or not is irrelevant to the whole point.

[@piapedersen6621]

your Danish are really good

[@HenrikFrejasFar]

The Little Match girl, was NOT written for children. H.C.Andersen lived in Copenhagen and saw these pore children i the streets. Children like the little girl in the story, and he himself had grownup pore. The story is a social commentary on the society around him, and the lack of empathy ... All H.C.Andersens stories have that layer.

[@praktisktro]

I love this story! It was one of my favorites as a child! Virtually all of H. C. Andersen's stories are quite dark, but have a good moral. As a child you are not as sensitive to death as you become as an adult. Personally, I thought it was a good ending. I always saw it as a happy ending where she went to heaven and away from the evil rich people who didn't take care of her. And at the same time it was an opportunity for my parents to teach us that we should take care of the poor. And of course it gives a sad feeling to know that you may not do enough. The Little Mermaid also has a super sad ending, if you don't know it maybe check it out. But to be honest, the original Brooding Grimes are actually darker than H. C. Anderesen.

[@TheUnited4real]

How can a Teacher not know H.C. Andersen....?

[@holdermeddk]

Kamiloso is a Norweigan sketch. I've watched and laughed at it countless times

[@Popsidaysi]

Disney has destroyed many european fairytales The story about the match Girl are very poetic with her grandmother

[@MrTheatrick]

Traditionaly jul/christmas in scandinavia was a celebration of the return of the light. But the return of the light allso means it is a time with the greatest dark :)

[@matshjalmarsson3008]

This and other stories like this, having been read to me as a child as bedtime stories, is probably why I enjoy horror movies. It may also have made me more gentle, if you will, with children and friends. Sometimes bad things happens and it's a good thing to try to prevent them and help.

[@swagbag1835]

Christmas is happy. But it is also super sad.

[@DurgaDasi108]

Hans Christian Andersen did tell this kind of stories because he want to show how wrong people behave. They could have helped the poor better. He was poor him self. But When he write his travel books and sold them outside Denmark, He got some reconction. We cry, even as a grown up. She was the lucky one to escape. And yes we like stories with a moral

[@lainightwalker5495]

welcome to the stories of H.C. Andersen.

[@hurtighansen1]

Rich and pure. live or die

[@steffen7505]

I sometimes wonder if these kinds of stories have contributed to the Nordic model.

[@ReneHansen-vv4oe]

I will say yes to that.

[@LuniZZs]

its a sad story for kids, specialy when you grow up poor. i from DK

[@louisehasbak4996]

I believe stories of this gravity instills in our children the need to care for one another in time. Perhaps the basis of a mindset that supports the egalitarian society, that we benefit from today in Denmark. Perhaps not a bad idea to instill in our young, in fact I believe it more essential than ever!

[@theDanishMermaid]

Try reading the original the little mermaid, very different from disneys romance.

[@melaniegadeisager7647]

Many of Hans Chr. Andersens stories are this dark. The little mermaid is also very dark.

[@CDRaccoon]

Your danish pronounciation is pretty good, albeit, with a heavy accent ^^

[@bronwolff]

Im danish.. and i had my kid ask for a bedtime story. "There was a beautiful girl who wanted a bedtime story. She didnt get one, god night and sleep well"

[@holdermeddk]

Well, to christians it's a happy and joyfull story. To everybody else it's sad.

[@omega1231]

It's probably one of his best stories, but it makes sense why there has never been a disney adaptation of it, it's just not possible to remove the sad parts of the story without ruining the entire morale of the story. Although they already did that with the Little Mermaid (she does not get the prince, and the whole point of the story is that you shouldn't change yourself to accommodate people that don't want you, because in the end they still don't want you and you will die pursuing their unrequited affection, if not literally then who you are will die) and also Frozen, this one hinges just way too much on the things disney for whatever reason chooses to remove from the stories, to actually be a story, the whole point is that she dies. The story would not be nearly as good of a story, if she just went home at the end. It is poignant and relevant, because it's so in your face with the reality of the situation. Also, nisser/tomter aren't really elves per se, and their connection to jul/christmas is relatively new. Their origin are basically tiny tricksters, sort of related to trolls/elves, but more connected to humans, whereas trolls and elves inhabited the outside world of human settlements, so the mountains and forests f.ex. Nissen/tomte survived traditionally as farm "spirits". they would attach themselves to a farmstead and you had to appease them to ensure a good harvest, your cows not dying and so on, by leaving them food and beer. They could either be beneficial or detrimental, all depending on how you treat them. Plenty of folk tales about nisser ruining harvests and killing all the farm animals. The modern day santa's little helpers (i.e. elves) are definently modeled after nisser, but the popular depictions of nisser, are basically just tiny humans in the sunday dress of humans at the time, hence the pointy red hat, which was a common fine dress wear for Nordic men back in the 18th-19th century where most of the depictions we have today come from.

[@kimkruse7370]

The Real World Is Dark Sadly.

[@0cosmic]

my first time experiencing the world is a harsh place....... age 6, i learned not to be a little spoiled brat, all children should hear this, along with the ugly duckling H.C Andersen, has left his legacy for the world to use

[@istrysii]

if you look at " HC Andersen's stories " there are really life tells of How life really was in that time and age ... the little girl ended up being Happy in Death becouse life was not good to her ater her Grandmom did die ... think on it ... she did think on her Mom and Dad ... ... but WHY ...

[@maibritolsen]

It was written to chock and raise awareness and empathy for the less fortunate. As far as im aware HC Andersen wrote it after a meeting with Dickens (not too long after Dickens wrote Oliver Twist)

[@larsdahl5528]

The story can be seen as the girl daydreaming. But what is known from other stories written by H.C. Andersen is that some do end this way with this pattern where someone already dead comes and picks up the soul of the dying. A few stories continue after death where the one picking up tells that to get into paradise they have to pick up the soul of someone important to them. Seen in that perspective, the grandmother picks up the girl's soul, as the girl is important to the grandmother, and by doing so the grandmother gets into heaven. --- Knowing this pattern, "The Little Mermaid" becomes an even darker story, as the mermaid does not get a soul, and thus is destroyed with no afterlife when she dies.

[@Alhem11]

There you have it, don't play with matches..☝

[@jipersson]

To me it were a morals building story, I remember how we in the class room drew the curtains, turned off the light and placed candles on our desks and then surrendered to the story! I'm a 62 year old man and still get a lump in my throat listening to it!

[@Hans-lq1fz]

I’ve never heard that this particular story is considered a Christmas story. Way too grim.

[@michaelingerslev4201]

U do know how "young" crismes is right.... a lot of ouer story have a background in how to treet people hohave less then u have eg having a varme house vs freezing on the streets, and then the cristian overlords put there hands on it, and called a crismes sory

[@ronni2664]

You should defently not read the original version of the little mermaid in English if you are for happy storys.

[@tinapedersen120]

HCA, has made a wide arrangement of stories really.... The Girl With the Matchsticks, is only one.... They´re really all a reminder to us all, that there is someone out there, who is having a tougher life than you, regardless of who you are. A reminder, to love each other, and help each other. Fun fact: The Walt Brothers, (founding fathers of Walt Disney), bring stories of: Princesses, with no parents... or lacking one... Yet, they never somber or comment the issue dire to their heart... o.O Endless chases, with no conclusion, aka an eternal chase for resolution. Both, principal layout of the stories written by HCA .... who, i´d believe, was an inspiration for Tivoli in Copenhagen, who then went on to inspire the Walt Brothers, to create Disney World, based on Tivoli o.O ..... too many circles here..... im off, sorry :(

[@martinjacobsen2992]

Wether or not its a happy or sad ending is kinda up to interpretation, if the word is to be taken litteral then one could easily say it's a sad story with a happy ending. As is how most children who hears it will likely think. It is all very sad that she dies, but as the story says, she sees her grandmother, her most beloved person, and then goes to god. And wether or not you believe in such, then that is what happens in the story. To which one can only be happy for her that she found joy in the end. All that said...Seen from an adult perspective it is ofc a very sad and depressing story, that is as ancient as time itself, the poor dying forgotten and alone in the dark with nothing but a sad comment by bystanders once found. Yet I don't think children see the latter part in the same way.