Pigs sculpture created to tease the 30 year birthday boy

Pictures of how 30th birthdays are often celebrated in Denmark if the person is unmarried. The pepper sculptures image collection is of loving homemade artwork that is placed in front of the home on the birthday of a woman or man who turns 30 and is single. The sculptures are often large, hard work made by friends and placed the night before the birthday. A tradition in Denmark.

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Take a look at the thing, Pigs in love

The tradition in Denmark dictates that the pepper bachelor or the pepper maiden must get rid of the installation themselves without the help of others. It can be hard work but a good motif for a photo shoot for cars driving by.

Foto: Peter Høegh

Additional pictures: Martin

Foto: Peter Høegh

Additional pictures Louise

The pepper tradition for bachelors goes back to the 16th century

It was probably back in the 16th century that a tradition arose around pepper bachelors. Businessmen who traveled the lands and traded in pepper and other important trade goods did not find it practical to have a family and often did not marry at an early age as was otherwise common among people. We suspect that the talk of pepper bachelors arose on that background. One was unmarried like a pepper vendor and that was quite unusual at the time and something that was noticed. Gradually, the tradition has been passed on to all unmarried men and not just pepper merchants.

The tradition of mark a birthday of a femal bachelors goes back to the 1700s

Later, the tradition also spread to unmarried women (spinsters) and we suspect that it happened in the 18th century. There is also a little mockery and teasing here, as the families and people in the village did not care that their young women were not married and supported.