The Christmas season in Denmark is very festive. They begin their celebration on Lille Jule Dag (Little Christmas Day) which is the day before Christmas Eve and the last day that the stores are opened. They close most stores on Christmas Eve all day through the 26th which is called "Anden Jule Dag" or the second Christmas day. So that is 3 full days that you can not shop except for 7-11 stores. In our case it was 4 days in a row that we could not shop because Lille Jule Dag was on Sunday.

Last night on Lille Jul Dag we were invited along with seven Elders to a traditional peasant dinner that dates back to before the Declaration of Independence was signed, and the same time that the hospital where Sister Peterson stayed in a short time ago was founded. We ate "Risen Grode" which is rice pudding sprinkled with cinnamon sugar and a teaspoon of butter in the middle. That was the whole meal.

Each batch of risen grode also has chopped almonds and one whole almond. The person who is able to show that they have the whole almond wins the present that is placed on the table at the beginning of the meal. Of course Sister Peterson won. Christmas Eve is when the extended family gets together for a big Thanksgiving type meal. The meal we had included "stegte gaes" stuffed and roasted goose as well as "flaeskesteg" pork roast with a crisp and course salted 1/4" layer of fat on the top side. They are both very delicious and different than anything we have tasted in the U.S. In addition to the meat they also serve two kinds of "kartofler" potatoes and wonderful "brunsaus" gravy made with whipping cream, and "rodkal and Agurkesalat" pickled red cabbage and cucumber", and many other fun things. They usually top this dinner off with "aeblekage" applecake, but tonight we had risalamang, rice pudding and a wonderful Kirsebaer saus, cherry sauce.

Our host tonight, Brother Knudsen, is a gourmet cook. Everything we have had at his home is spectacular. Then after dinner we light the candles on the Christmas tree and dance around it and sing Danish Christmas Carols and exchange gifts. We are giving homemade fudge and pecan logs this year. One of the differences about the way they celebrate Christmas here is that they use red hearts to decorate the tree similar to the ones we use for Valentines Day. At one of the events we attended they also had a man and woman dressed up as the King and Queen of Hearts to give out the gifts to the children. Don't get me wrong, they also have a "Julemand" Santa Clause and his helpers "Nissemaend", elves.

The one part of Christmas that is not very prominent in their holiday celebrations, except for at church, is Christ. It is seldom that you see a Nativity scene, but we have a life size one on our Temple grounds. Most presents are given out on Christmas Eve. There are presents received by the children from the Julemand on Christmas Day. There is also a lot of alcohol consumed during the three or four days of the holiday. I was at the grocery store a couple of days ago and most of the shoppers had at least four bottles of wine etc. and lots of beer. I don't know how they afford it at over $20 per bottle.

They do a lot of beautiful hand made decorations here. Paper cutting is very popular. We sang carols with the other missionaries at the temple grounds during the Christmas season. We also set up a small display at "Radhus Plads" Town Square in Copenhagen at the beginning of the "Stroget" walking street. We had fourteen missionaries singing with one of them on the keyboard. While they sang we were going through the crowd wishing them a Merry Christmas and handing out pamphlets and Christmas videos.

But even though they do a lot of things with their families and have some fun traditions most of them seem to forget the real meaning of Christmas. The gifts are given in the tradition of the wise men from the east who gave to the Christ child. We should also remember at this time the gifts that were given by our Savior, even Jesus the Christ. He gave us the most sterling example of life and said simply "Come, follow me". He gave his life for us that through his Atonement we would be able to have Eternal Life and and the blessing of being together as Eternal Families. He restored his true church in these latter days through his prophet Joseph Smith so that all mankind would have the opportunity to accept or reject his gifts. He commanded us to share the reality of his gifts with others and at the same time gave us the freedom to choose whether to accept or reject his gifts and his will. We owe every thing we have and ever will have to Him.

We love our Savior Jesus Christ and hope that our service here in Denmark will be acceptable to him. We pray for his children here and at home every day and hope that we may all be strong in the faith and follow him.