by Freja, age 9, asks if old lights are recyclable, about Danish islands, and hygge
Dear Santa,
Hej from Copenhagen. My name is Freja and I am 9 years old. My family loves hygge, which means making everything cosy, so in December our whole flat is full of candles and fairy lights, and we spend ages taking down all the old strings each January to sort out which ones still work.
My first question is: are old Christmas lights recyclable?
My second question is geography: how many islands make up Denmark?
My third question is from school: what does hygge actually mean?
I left you aebleskiver, little round pancakes, with jam for dipping.
Love, Freja, age 9, Copenhagen, Denmark
From the Desk of Father Christmas
Dear Freja, aebleskiver with jam might be the coziest snack I have had all night, which feels very appropriate. Now, to your thoughtful questions.
Are old Christmas lights recyclable?
Old string lights are trickier to recycle than most household items, because they mix plastic, copper wire, and sometimes glass all together, which most ordinary curbside recycling bins cannot sort out. The good news is that many countries have special electronics or e-waste recycling points, and some shops and councils run seasonal collection programs just for old holiday lights, especially in January when everyone is doing exactly what your family does. So the lights themselves usually should not go in a normal recycling bin, but a quick search for a local e-waste or lighting recycling point will usually turn up somewhere that will take them properly.
How many islands make up Denmark?
Denmark is made up of more than 400 islands, though only around 70 of them are inhabited. The largest and most important is Zealand, home to Copenhagen itself, connected to the rest of Denmark and even to Sweden by impressive bridges.
What does hygge actually mean?
Hygge is a Danish word that does not translate perfectly into English, but it roughly means a feeling of cosy contentment, warmth, and togetherness, often created with soft light, good company, and simple comforts like a warm drink or a favourite blanket. It is less about grand things and more about small, deliberate moments of comfort, which is exactly why your candlelit December flat is such a perfect example of it.
Enjoy sorting those lights, and I shall see you very soon.
Ho ho ho, Santa
