Christmas plate or flat Christmas?

“I rejoice in this time; now the Christmas snow falls white, then I know Christmas is coming. My father goes to town every day, and when he comes home, I stand and see his big pockets.” This is how the well-known first verse from 'Peter's Christmas' from 1866 sounds, and which for many is probably the epitome of a cozy Danish Christmas. But there is also a story about immigration, integration and assimilation and, not least, top-class ceramic art – namely the Christmas plate – in this literary December classic. Already on the first page, we see to the right of the petit Peter, a small bound gift on which is written 'Bing og Sön' (Bing and Son). This refers to the bookstore and printing house HJ Bing og Søn, which in 1853 also received permission to sell haberdashery, i.e. ornaments of various nature. It is probably also a reference to the fact that at this time you can buy decorations for your Christmas tree from HJ Bing og Søn.

But what does it have to do with immigration, assimilation and the Christmas plate. Yes, we have to go back in time a bit. In 1799, a new man arrives in Denmark. One imagines the scene in Matador, where Mads Skjern arrives in Korsbæk without the big coin in his pocket, but with enthusiasm, ideas and a vision for the future. This also applies to the newcomer who comes from Amsterdam and is Jewish, so there was probably no one who imagined that it would end up with a significant contribution to the Danish Christian Christmas! The man who comes to Denmark is called Heimann Jacob Bing. When we dig into the archives, we learn that he is a cat printer, a title that covers printing on textiles including cotton and canvas. However, it turns out that he can do more than this. For a time he was a tutor in Roskilde, and it was in the role of teacher that he moved to Copenhagen, where in 1803 he co-founded the Bing & Kalisch Institute for Jewish Youth. The purpose of the institute or school was to teach the Jewish youth in the same way that the Christian children were taught. At this time, Jews were supposed to have access to the general school system. Now a service had been set up in Copenhagen, which served to promote information and education for Jewish children. It should be mentioned that the institute was for paying members. It was therefore only the better-off Jewish families who could send their children to school. The school is a great success and not only 'within the walls' of the Jewish community. It is also noticed in the surrounding community, and Herman Bing receives royal permission to open a paper shop despite the fact that he was supposed to be admitted to the guild for trading in paper (most Jews were supposed to be admitted to the guild).

The business HJ Bing & Søn opens on the corner of Sværtegade and Pilegade in 1820 and becomes a success. Hermann has two sons. Meyer Herman Bing (b. 1807) and Jacob Herman Bing (b. 1811). Both sons are incorporated into the business and take it over after the father's death in 1844. They continue with publishing and publish, among other things, Den Store Bastian - a children's picture book that many have become familiar with. Over time, their focus also turned to art, and in 1853 the porcelain factory Bing & Grøndahl was founded by the two brothers Bing together with the figure painter FV Grøndahl.

The success of the Bing brothers, first with publishing and now with porcelain, means that they move into the better class in the Copenhagen of the time. This also applies to Harald Bing, son of Jacob Herman Bing, and it is precisely this Bing who invents a thing that has not been seen before; the Christmas plate. We know of two theories about how the idea for the plate came about. By mingling with the city's elite, Harald sees a tradition unfolding among the better bourgeoisie. Every year at Christmas time, the servants were given a plate of goodies to enjoy, and afterwards they kept the plate. The second theory is that the plate was inspired by flat plates that the Royal Porcelæns Fabrik sent out in connection with the Nordic exhibition in Copenhagen in 1888. Regardless of the origin of the idea, however, there is a market for the fusion of traditions and handicrafts. In 1895, the first Christmas record was issued, and they immediately became a hit. The first of its kind will only be produced in 400 copies. Subsequently, the molds are destroyed. Today, they are extremely rare collector's items. A new tradition sees the light of day, and ever since, Christmas plates with different motifs have been produced every year.

Bing & Grøndahl was later merged with the Royal Porcelain Factory, which now goes by the name Royal Copenhagen, internationally recognized for both their design and craftsmanship. A small side note to this glorious story is Pietro Krohn, who illustrated 'Peter's Christmas'. He was artistic inspector and later manager of Bing & Grøndahl in the period 1885-1892, and it is under his leadership that the iconic 'Heron frame' is produced. Pietro Krohn later becomes the Museum of Art and Industry's first director in 1895, where he and Emil Hannover form a strong partnership. Together they build what is today Design Museum Denmark's large collection. The story of the Danish Christmas cannot therefore be told without also including a piece of Jewish history.