Liz's European Adventures: Christmas on Funen

This Christmas, I spent on the island of Funen. I was invited to my friend Lonnie's childhood home in Aarslev, which is 20 minutes outside of Odense. Lonnie, her mom, Lincoln and myself ended up celebrating Christmas by ourselves because of the snowy and windy weather - it made transportation difficult to their family Christmas party. Either way, it was nice to experience some of the Danish traditions firsthand, and was low key and relaxing - which helped ease the strain of not being with my own family.

There are definitely some interesting differences between a Danish and American Christmas. First of all, the actual Christmas celebration occurs on the 24th in Denmark. The traditional meal includes duck (which I really like!), potatoes, etc. They actually serve potato chips with the meal, sort of as a special treat - which is so weird for me considering I eat every lunch back home with a sandwich and chips.

The Christmas trees are lit with real candles, which is beautiful. You also dance around the Christmas tree and sing songs and hold hands. When kids write wish lists to Santa, they send the letters to Greenland, because 'that is where Santa lives.' The whole idea of Santa arriving in the night does not exist. They don't really get presents from Santa per say, and Santa always visits on the 24th during the family dinner or party. They do not use stockings, either.

Danes are not very religious, but we did manage to go to a church - I was not able to go to a Catholic mass, or a mass in English, but at least we went! Denmark was covered in snow, and it truly snowed on the 24th and the 25th. Danes consider it a 'white Christmas' when more than 75% of the country is covered in snow...so I experienced on White Danish Christmas.

Lincoln hanging out by the Christmas tree