The Christmas celebration in Norway (‘Jul’) is a feast of events, preparations and traditions that last a whole season: white snow and decorations, the warmth from open fires, the sound of giggling children playing in the snow, handmade gifts at numerous small and big Christmas fairs and markets. The term ‘jul’ for the holiday season in December has its origins in the old Norse word ‘jól’, used to describe the midwinter celebration and the winter solstice in Norse culture. Similar words exist in English (Yule), Finnish (Joulu), Estonian (Jõulud), and German (Julfest). In Norway, the preparations for the holiday season usually begin on the last weekend in November, with the baking of cookies, shopping for gifts, and going to Christmas concerts. In the city of Drøbak, near Oslo, the popular Christmas House is open for visitors all year round, but many other cities and places start preparing for cosy events and fairs early on. Christmas actually predates the Christianisation of the country and we know that the old heathens used to sacrifice animals and drink beer, also making offerings (‘juleblot’) to the gods to ensure a bountiful harvest and protection during the cold winter months ahead.
When Norwegians celebrate ‘jul‘ today, they honor both Christian and ancient Norse traditions that have fused to create the unique celebration we know today. Here are some of the most common dishes from the Norwegian Christmas traditions:
Ribbe
Roasted pork belly, usually served with sauerkraut and boiled potatoes, Christmas sausages, meatballs, and gravy.
Pinnekjøtt
Salted, dried, and sometimes smoked lamb ribs.
Lutefisk
Stockfish that has been lying in water and lye (a way to preserve fish in the old days), then cooked in the oven.
Småkaker
Tradition dictates that seven different kinds of Christmas biscuits and/or cookies should feature on the table at Christmas and that they should all be home-baked.
Aquavit
A potato-based spirit flavoured with herbs such as caraway seeds, anise, dill, fennel, and coriander.
A lot of restaurants serve typical Norwegian Christmas dishes, often with local ingredients: the menus usually consist of “ribbe” (pork ribs), “pinnekjøtt” (lamb ribs), or in some parts of Norway, cod. In bakeries, go for Norwegian Christmas cookies like “goro”, “krumkaker” or “berlinerkrans”.
In Norway, 23 December is ‘Lille Julaften’ (‘Little Christmas Eve’), the day when Norwegian families decorate the tree together, tidy the house and bake gingerbread houses (in supermarkets you can buy a fun do-it-yourself kit for building your own miniature gingerbread house). The big celebrations come on Christmas Eve (24 December), or ‘Julaften’, rather than on 25 December: most Norwegians gather for a traditional meal, families enjoy a festive feast and sing carols together, open presents, and sometimes Father Christmas will pay them a visit. The whole country is an ongoing huge festival of lights that keeps on shining for weeks after New Year’s Eve to preserve that fairy tale spirit.
Most Norwegian towns and cities also have Christmas fairs and markets, decorating the streets with lights and garnish. In this regard, a visit to Bergen, where a gingerbread town is made every year by the collectivity (since 1991), to the wooden town of Røros, to Tregaarden’s Christmas House in Drøbak (Scandinavia’s only permanent Christmas shop), and to Hadeland Glassverk, where you can purchase handmade glass from local artisans, are certainly worth. In addition to the many Christmas markets, there are a huge variety of Christmas concerts all over the country.
Read more on Visitnorway.com
