Teaser letter: cutting, verse and rules step by step

The teaser letter is one of the loveliest spring games you can take on with children. All it takes is a piece of paper, a pair of scissors and a bit of patience, and then the game's on, from the first careful fold right through to the exciting moment when the recipient has to guess the sender's name.

In this guide, you'll find a simple cutting guide, suggestions for what the letter should contain, new short verses you can copy, the rules for the guessing game itself, and a brief account of where the tradition comes from.

What is a teaser letter?

A teaser letter is an imaginatively cut and decorated letter with a little verse and sometimes a flower tucked inside. The letter is sent anonymously, or the sender writes their name using dots or other marks instead of letters, so that the number of dots matches the number of letters in the name.

The name 'gækkebrev' comes partly from the snowdrop ('vintergæk'), which the letter originally contained, and partly from the verb 'at gække', meaning to trick or fool. To play a trick on someone is exactly what the whole game is about.

How to cut a teaser letter step by step

You don't need a template to get started. A teaser letter is cut from paper in a symmetrical pattern, and the method is the same whether you're making hearts, leaves or stars.

1. Fold a piece of thin paper a couple of times so it becomes several layers, for example in halves or quarters.
2. Draw half shapes along the fold itself, so the shape only becomes whole once the paper is unfolded.
3. Cut the shapes out with a sharp pair of scissors, holding the folded layers firmly together as you go.
4. Carefully unfold the paper so you're left with a symmetrical pattern all the way round.

Choose thin paper, as it's easier to fold and cut through. A sharp pair of scissors makes all the difference, especially if it's children doing the cutting. For the little ones, simple shapes like hearts and leaves are a good start, while stars and more intricate patterns can wait until their cutting skills are more developed.

What do you write in a teaser letter?

The letter itself should have a little verse, and a snowdrop is often tucked inside, just as the tradition originally called for. The sender's name is written with one dot for each letter, so the recipient can count their way to how many letters the name has, without being able to read it directly.

If you want to make it a bit harder to guess who the letter is from, you can disguise your handwriting. Write in block letters instead of your usual handwriting, use the hand you don't normally write with, or get someone else in the household to write the letter for you. The point is that it should still be possible to guess who sent it, just not at first glance from the handwriting.

Teaser verses: from the classic lines to new verses

The two best-known teaser verses have followed the tradition for generations, and they're still a safe bet:

• My name is written in dots, so watch out, they might prick.
• Gæk, gæk, gæk, my name has slipped away.

Here are some new, short verses in the same style, feel free to use them:

• For a child: Little friend with a twinkle in your eye, guess my name, it's not a hard trick to try.
• For grandparents: Dear grandparent, close and dear, guess my name, I'm not far from here.
• For a colleague: Good morning from a secret friend, guess my name again and again.
• The teasing one: You think you know who I am, but the trickster laughs, I'm near at hand.

The rules for the teaser letter and the guessing game

The rules have changed a bit over time, so it's a good idea to agree on which version the family uses before the letters are sent off.

• The common rule today: If the recipient guesses correctly, the sender owes an Easter egg. If the recipient can't guess the name before Easter, they owe the sender an Easter egg instead.
• The old rule: The recipient only gets one guess. If they guess wrong, the recipient owes the sender an Easter egg.
• Another variant: The recipient owes the sender an Easter egg for every wrong guess.

What all versions have in common is that the recipient becomes the sender's fool if they never manage to guess correctly, unless the sender finally gives a small gift, usually an Easter egg.

There are several versions of the rules for snowdrop letters, so it's a good idea to pick one before sending them.

When do you send teaser letters?

Snowdrop letters are sent to friends and family in the weeks leading up to Easter, while the snowdrops are in bloom. Snowdrops can flower as early as the beginning of February and typically bloom from January to March, so there's plenty of time to send several letters before Easter arrives. Next Easter Sunday falls on Sunday 28 March 2027.

If you've picked a few snowdrops for the letter, it's a good idea to have a small vase ready at home, so the rest of the bunch can enjoy the spring light.

The story behind the teaser letter, briefly told

The snowdrop letter's predecessor was the German 'bindebrev', known in Denmark since the 1600s. These were often small, flirtatious messages that were also sent on name days. The oldest preserved snowdrop letter was sent to Maria Christiane Hansdatter in Odense in 1770, and the combination of the dried snowdrop and the cut-out letter first appeared in the early 1800s, when many people collected and pressed flowers.

At the end of the 1800s, the Copenhagen publisher Julius Strandberg published collections of snowdrop-letter verses and reply verses that could be sent once the sender was revealed. The tradition is only known in Denmark, and today it's mainly children and childcare institutions that keep the custom alive.

Frequently asked questions

How do you make a snowdrop letter?

Fold a piece of thin paper a few times, draw half-figures along the fold, cut them out and carefully unfold the paper so the pattern becomes symmetrical.

What do you write in a teaser letter?

A short verse and the sender's name written with a dot for each letter. Many also include a snowdrop in the letter.

What are the rules for a snowdrop letter?

A common rule today is that the sender owes an Easter egg if the recipient guesses correctly, while the recipient owes an Easter egg if the guess doesn't succeed before Easter. The old rule only allows one guess.

How many dots should there be in a gækkebrev?

The number of dots corresponds to the number of letters in the sender's name.

When do you send teaser letters?

In the weeks leading up to Easter, while snowdrops bloom from January to March.

What do you get if you guess who sent a gækkebrev?

If the recipient guesses correctly, the sender typically owes them an Easter egg. If they can't guess at all, they become the sender's fool, unless they get a little gift anyway.

Summary

A gækkebrev is a simple pleasure: a cut-out piece of paper, a short verse and a name hidden behind dots. With a sharp pair of scissors, some thin paper and one of the verses here, you can send the first letters as soon as the snowdrops peek through, and let the guessing game carry on right up until Easter.

Read also

• How do you press flowers?
• What do flowers mean? A guide to symbolism
• DIY decorating: Projects with home accessories
• Easter table and decorations: yellow colours, eggs and spring flowers
• Easter gift ideas for adults and children at every price point
• The Easter hare: the story behind Easter's egg-laying hare
• Easter egg hunt: how to arrange it