Create Your Own Handmade Souvenir in Copenhagen
Some souvenirs remind you where you have been.
Others remind you of something you experienced.
In Copenhagen, you can create your own traditional Danish woven paper heart
and take home something you made with your own hands.
A souvenir you cannot simply buy
Denmark is known for design, simplicity and craftsmanship. But some of our
most meaningful traditions are found in ordinary Danish homes rather than
museums or souvenir shops.
The woven paper Christmas heart is one of them.
Made from strips of glossy paper, the hearts have decorated Danish Christmas
trees for generations. They are small, familiar and unmistakably Danish.
Make your own Danish paper heart
The Private Paper Heart Experience is hosted personally by
Rikke, founder of Ugly Duckli, in her private home in Frederiksberg, Copenhagen.
For two calm hours, your own private group is welcomed into a Danish home.
Rikke guides you step by step through weaving the hearts while sharing the
story behind the tradition and its connection to Hans Christian Andersen.
No previous crafting experience is needed. Everything is prepared so that
everyone can take part and enjoy making something beautiful.
One private group of 1 to 6 guests
Approximately two hours
Hosted personally by Rikke
All paper and materials included
Danish refreshments
Your handmade hearts to take home
An individually prepared Ugly Duckli gift bag for every guest
A little piece of Copenhagen
There is something different about bringing home an object you have made yourself.
Your paper heart may end up on your Christmas tree, in a window or tucked safely
away until December. Wherever it goes, it carries the memory of the afternoon
when you made it in Copenhagen.
It becomes part of your own story.
A personal side of Copenhagen
Rikke is the founder of Ugly Duckli, a small Danish company born from a
deeply personal family story and a love of Danish Christmas traditions.
After living abroad for 18 years, she returned to Denmark. Today she welcomes
international visitors into her Frederiksberg home to share something that is
difficult to experience simply by walking through the city.
Not a performance. Not a large tour group. Just time together around a table,
Danish hospitality and one small tradition passed from hand to hand.
Prefer to continue the tradition at home?
You do not have to visit Copenhagen to make a Danish paper heart.
Ugly Duckli creates Danish Christmas decorations and materials for people
who would like to continue the tradition around their own table.
Frequently asked questions
Is this a shared workshop?
No. The experience is reserved entirely for your own private group. No other guests join you.
How many people can take part?
The standard private experience is for 1 to 6 guests.
How long does the experience last?
Approximately two hours.
Do I need crafting experience?
No. Rikke guides you step by step, and complete beginners are very welcome.
Is the experience in English?
Yes. The experience can be hosted in English or Danish.
Where does it take place?
In Rikke’s private home in Frederiksberg, a beautiful residential part of Copenhagen.
What is included?
Personal hosting by Rikke, all materials, Danish refreshments, the hearts you make and an individually prepared Ugly Duckli gift bag for each guest.
What does it cost?
DKK 7,500 for the entire private group of 1 to 6 guests.
Make something you will remember
Spend two hours around a Danish table and leave with a small piece of the tradition in your hands.
Rikke is the founder of Ugly Duckli in Frederiksberg, Copenhagen. She shares her love of the Danish tradition of woven Christmas hearts and the stories, memories and people connected to them.
Ugly Duckli is built around a simple idea: When we weave hearts, we weave ourselves into each other’s lives.
Rikke creates Ugly Duckli’s own paper heart designs and welcomes international guests into her Frederiksberg home for the Private Paper Heart Experience, where they learn to weave traditional Danish Christmas hearts.