The Christmas Pages

...Christmas in Norway...

These pages should give you a flavor of a Norwegian Christmas. They have been on the internet since 1997 and are one of the top results for the Google search "Christmas in Norway". If you miss anything, please contact us at postmaster "at" stavanger-web.com.

Christmas Trees in Norway

In Norway most everyone has either a spruce or a pine tree in their living room - decorated with white lights, tinsel, Norwegian flags and other ornaments for Christmas. The children make paper baskets of shiny, colored paper. The baskets can be filled with candy or nuts. Chains made of colored paper are also very popular. Colored lighting is becoming popular, but the white lights are more like the candles they are supposed to represent. Christmas trees became common in Norway from around 1900. The custom of having Christmas trees is originally from Germany.

Before the presents are opened, the family dances in a ring around the Christmas tree while singing traditional Norwegian Christmas carols.

Christmas Tree Decorations

It is a tradition in Norway to gather the family and make baskets of colorful paper to hang on the Christmas tree.

Read more about how to make these decorations.

A Typical Norwegian Christmas Dinner

"Pinnekjøtt" - salted lamb ribs

Pinnekjøtt is rib of lamb, which has been either salted and dried or salted, smoked and dried. Pinnekjøtt has a good deal of bone fat, so it is best to allow about 500 g per person if it is served on its own; if it is served together with sausages, allow 350 g per person.

• Separate the salted ribs from each other with a sharp knife and leave them in cold water overnight
• Go out in the woods and find enough fresh  branches from a birch tree (finger thick) to cover the bottom of your pot. Remove the bark.
• Put the branches in your pot and and fill it with enough water to cover the branches
• Place the ribs over the branches and cook until the meat loosens from the bone (apprx. 2 hours)
• Be careful so the pot doesn't cook dry - refill water as necessary
• Before serving, give the ribs a few minutes under the grill of your oven.
• "Pinnekjøtt" is normally served with mashed kohlrabi (turnip) or rutabaga, boiled potatoes and mustard. Don't forget the aquavit and cold Christmas beer.

Mashed rutabaga

Approx. 1 kg rutabaga, water, pepper, salt, cooking juices from the "pinnekjøtt" 

Peel and slice the rutabaga and cook it until tender in lightly salted water. Drain off the excess water. Pour 1/4 cup of cooking juice from the "pinnekjøtt", add salt and pepper and mash the rutabaga. You can use milk instead of cooking juices, then you should add a tablespoon of butter, too.

Rice Cream (creamy rice pudding/porridge)
(serves 4)
3/4 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups rice porridge
Serve with red fruit sauce on top. Rice Cream is often served with an almond hidden in it. The person who finds the almond gets a prize - usually a marzipan pig or a delicious Norwegian chocolate.

The Norwegian "Nisse"

The Norwegian "Nisse" is not like his American relative Santa Claus. The Norwegian "Nisse" differs from both Santa Claus and St. Nicholas. In modern Norway we have really two types of "nisser".

The name  "Nisse" probably derives from St. Nicholas. But "nisser" - which are elves (or gnomes) are old figures which existed long before the birth of Christ. There are several types of "nisser" in Norway. The most known is the "Fjøsnisse" which is a "nisse" who takes care of the animals on the farms. The "Fjøsnisse" is very short and often bearded and lives in a barn or a stable. He wears clothes of wool and often has a red knitted hat. The "Fjøsnisse" often plays tricks on people. Sometimes he will scare people by blowing out the lights in the barn or he will scare the farm dog at night. You can hear the dogs bark! He can become very friendly with the people that live on the farm, but one should never forget to give him a large portion of porridge on Christmas Eve - or else he will play tricks for example move the animals around in the barn, braid the horses' mane and tail, and other tricks like that.........

Of course we also have a Christmas nisse (julenissen) which in most homes is more or less identical to Santa Claus. The "Julenisse" brings presents to all the nice children on Christmas Eve. He is not as shy as Santa though, since the "julenisse" delivers the presents himself. He does not come down the chimney in the middle of the night.

Read more the Norwegian Barn Santa at "The Guardian"

Carpenter Andersen

One of the most popular Norwegian Christmas Stories is "Carpenter Andersen" written by Alf Prøysen in 1971. The story has been shown on national TV and played in many local theaters cross the country.

"Once there was a father called Andersen, the Carpenter and he had a lot of children, like fathers usually do. One Christmas Eve, he slipped out of the house while his wife....." Read more

Christmas Stamps

	2009: The Norwegian Christmas stamps for 2009 pictures Christmas decorations. In the background you can see the lyrics of two Christmas songs; "Glade Jul" (Silent Night) and "Jeg synger julekvad". The stamps cost NOK 8.00 and have printed in 12.5 million copies.
	2008: The Norwegian Christmas stamps for 2008 pictures the Norwegian Nisse overlooking farm houses. The first time the Nisse was portrayed on a stamp was for the Christmas stamps of 1992. The stamps cost NOK 7.00 and have been printed in 14 million copies.
	2007: The Norwegian Christmas stamps for 2007 picture the Star of Bethlehem and the Three Wise Men. They cost NOK 7.00 and have been printed in 8 million copies.

2005: The Norwegian Christmas stamps for 2005 picture a ginger bread christmas tree and oranges with 24 clove spikes for counting down the days until Christmas Eve.

2004: The Norwegian Christmas stamps for 2004 have been drawn by children. Two sixth grade girls won the drawing competition where the Norwegian Post Office received over 6500 drawings. This years stamps will be released November 19th and enpict Caring and Friendship.

Updated December 9th, 2008