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Easter Saturday on Ærø island

Easter Saturday is an island holiday cherished by islanders and visitors alike, when everyone heads to the beach to boil eggs in seawater. Want to join in?

Maybe you've heard of it? The crazy islanders who sit on the beach in all weathers and boil eggs, grill sausages and toast each other.

And that's exactly what the islanders do - along with a lot of guests who have discovered the tradition themselves and have "volunteered" to join in.

In the days leading up to Easter Saturday, and especially on that day, the ferries are packed; everyone has to go "home" to Ærø to boil eggs. Town streets are deserted, and shops and museums are closed with a sign in the door: "We're boiling eggs!"

Hundreds of people gather around the island and build a bonfire on the beach - often with two, three or more generations around the same fire. All day long, eggs are boiled, sausages are roasted and tall tales are told. And it's all washed down with a hand-poured beer - maybe even a local Easter brew from Ærø Bryggeri.

The tradition dates back to around 1900, when older children would go around to the farms on Easter Saturday, sing for the residents and get eggs, which they would take to the beach and boil in seawater...Or perhaps it was the farm girls and boys who finally had a day off and wanted to celebrate in a festive atmosphere.

The origin of this custom is a bit of a mystery, however, it definitely relates to the Danish concept of "hygge".

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