The Danish Do It Better

The Danish could teach the Swedes a few things.

The day after I went to the Holiday Fair at the Swedish Seaman's Church in Manhattan, and was appalled by the prices, I went to the Holiday Fair at the Danish Seaman's Church in Brooklyn. (You'd think these churches would space out their holiday events so as not to directly compete with one another. Then again, maybe Danes don't go to Swedish events, and vice versa.)


Well, the Danes had it all over the Swedes. The church was packed, as opposed to sparsely populated. The mood was convivial and friendly, not somber and insular. In back, there was a huge line for the food tent, where folks were happily drinking Carlsberg and eating "Danish Hot Dogs" (cucumbers and bacon bits are involved).


Moreover, there wasn't just one choice of eats at one astronomical prices (like the $20 meatball plate at the Swedish Church). There were many choices, all reasonably prices. Hot dogs were $3. Meatballs were $3. Glogg was $3. Beer was $3.50. Now that's how you say Merry Christmas.


And then there was the unique shopping. You could get as many jars of Danish Remoulade, or packages of Haribo candies and Stimorol gum as you needed.