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For around 3000 years geese have been kept as domestic animals. In the middle ages geese were very common in Denmark and very much appreciated, partly because of the meat which, after having been salted, was smoked and also because of the fat, the downs, the geese feathers which were used for writing equipment and the breastbone which was used for toys. It used to be the farmers who breed the geese for later resale. In the Middle age this was part of the rent/tax they had to pay to the Lord of the Manor.

The tradition of eating goose for Christmas was adopted by the Lords of the manor, the landowners and the nobility in the 13th and 14th century from Germany where is had been a custom for a long time. Originally this custom relates to Martinmas held on the 11th November.

During the Martinmas celebration, the big harvest festival in the autumn, the goose played a central part. The legend tells that it was the stupid geese who disclosed the hiding-place of Bishop Martin and therefore they were sacrificed every year on the 11th of November.
The tradition of eating geese in the middle of November properly dates back even further, as in Germany Christmas-time began at that time of the year.