The marzipan pig is a traditional German, Dutch, Flemish and Scandinavian confectionery consisting of marzipan shaped as a pig. During Jul in

Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the ...

and Sweden, a tradition is to eat a rice porridge known as risgrøt (risgrynsgröt in Swedish); a single almond is hidden in the porridge. Whoever finds the almond receives a marzipan pig as a prize. The same tradition exists for Christmas Eve in Denmark, but with risalamande. In Germany, marzipan pigs are given at New Year's for good luck (''Glücksschwein'').

In popular culture

'' The Marzipan Pig'' (1986, ) is a children's book by

Russell Hoban Russell Conwell Hoban (February 4, 1925 – December 13, 2011) was an American expatriate writer. His works span many genres, including fantasy, science fiction, mainstream fiction, magical realism, poetry, and children's books. He lived in ...

. The story was filmed as one of the

HBO Storybook Musicals ''HBO Storybook Musicals'' is a series of television specials that aired on HBO, combining animation that is true to the original storybook's illustrations, plus high-spirited songs from musical songwriters. The specials have also aired on HBO Fam ...

. It was also on the

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. '' Posankka'' is a hybrid marzipan pig– rubber ducky statue in

Turku Turku ( ; ; sv, Åbo, ) is a city and former capital on the southwest coast of Finland at the mouth of the Aura River, in the region of Finland Proper (''Varsinais-Suomi'') and the former Turku and Pori Province (''Turun ja Porin lääni''; ...

Finland Finland ( fi, Suomi ; sv, Finland ), officially the Republic of Finland (; ), is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of B ...

near the

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References

{{reflist German confectionery German traditions Marzipan Christmas food