Christmas in Norway

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While we are getting ready for the holidays with Christmas jumpers, Pudding and Crackers, let’s have a look at how Christmas is celebrated in the north of Europe. Norway does not only boast beautiful landscapes, stunning fjords and pristine oceans, but also has some special Christmas traditions up its sleeve that we will look at now.

The Food

Traditional foods range from ribbe (seasoned pork belly or ribs) to Pinekjøtt (dry-cured ribs of lamb) to lutefisk (cod cured in lye) and vary across the country. More western dished such as ham roast and turkey can also be found on a Norwegian Christmas table. As for deserts, risengrynsgrøt, is a hot rice pudding (and what bar gnome/nissen) eat) with sugar and cinnamon. There is one almond hidden in the pudding and whoever finds it in their portion wins a marzipan pig! In the countryside people will put a bowl of it with a piece of butter in the middle outside for the barn gnome who takes care of the animals. If there is anything left over, it can be made into riskrem, cold rice pudding mixed with whipped cream served with a berry sauce and a common Christmas desert.

The Traditions

The big day for Christmas in Norway is Christmas Eve and presents are opened after dinner on the 24th. Some people will go to church in the afternoon at 4pm, before the church bells will ring in Christmas at 5. The day before on the 23rd, families will decorate the tree together and maybe even make a gingerbread house on this “little Christmas Eve”. There are also other activities leading up to Christmas that make this time extra special. Most people will have advent calendars with either chocolate or little gifts inside and each Sunday in the Advent, they will light a candle. Similar to our Christmas parties, Julebord are gatherings in the time leading up to Christmas with traditional foods and large amount of drinks being served (except for the ones at schools!).

Not Santa brings the presents on the 24th but the Julenisse, a short creature with a white beard and a red hat from the Scandinavian folklore. Other types of “nisse” play a role in Norwegian tradition such as the barn gnome mentioned above.

A Very Special Tree

Each year a 50 to 60 year old Norway spruce is cut down in a forest outside of Oslo, an event attended by senior politicians such as the British Ambassador. What seems to be a fairly random occurrence is actually a tradition that has started after the Second World War, and happens every year since 1947. This tree is then transported to the UK, where it is decorated and displayed in its capital, on London’s Trafalgar Square. The tree symbolizes the gratitude of the Norwegian people for Britain’s help during the war.

What are your favorite Christmas traditions and where are you from?

Sources
https://www.visitoslo.com/en/articles/christmas-traditions/
https://www.lifeinnorway.net/christmas-traditions-in-norway/

While we are getting ready for the holidays with Christmas jumpers, Pudding and Crackers, let’s have a look at how Christmas is celebrated in the north of Europe. Norway does not only boast beautiful landscapes, stunning fjords and pristine oceans, but also has some special Christmas traditions up its sleeve that we will look at now.