Ethan Walker
Christmas in Norway is a big deal, with the majority of residents celebrating it. The Norwegian word for Christmas is Jul, which is pronounced yool. The focal point of Christmas in Norway is Christmas Eve, or Julaften, which falls on the 24th of December. The day usually starts with Norwegians dressing up in traditional bunads and attending a church service. Families get together for the main Christmas meal, which is usually ribbe (pork ribs or pork belly), and gifts are exchanged after dinner. The days between Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve are spent going to brunches and dinners with family and friends. While Christmas in Norway is based on Christian traditions, it also includes elements of old pagan traditions and Jewish Hanukkah.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of celebration | 24 December (Christmas Eve) |
| Main celebration | Julaften (Christmas Eve) |
| Christmas meal | Ribbe (pork ribs or pork belly), lutefisk (cod cured in lye), pinnekjøtt (dry-cured ribs of lamb), boiled cod, ham roast, turkey |
| Alcoholic drinks | Juleøl (Christmas beer), gløgg (a warm, spicy drink), Akevitt (a distilled Scandinavian drink) |
| Non-alcoholic drinks | N/A |
| Dessert | Riskrem (cold rice pudding mixed with whipped cream, served with a red sauce) |
| Christmas tree decorations | Heart-shaped paper baskets ("julekurver"), flags, treats |
| Other decorations | Boughs of green from spruce or fir, sheaf of wheat (julenek) |
| Presents | Exchanged during family dinner in the early evening |
| Santa Claus | Julenisse, Fjøsnissen |
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What You'll Learn
Christmas Eve celebrations
Christmas in Norway is a big deal, with the majority of residents taking part in the celebrations. The country is a popular destination for people looking to experience a traditional Christmas, with snow, reindeer, Northern Lights, and "Julenissen" (the Norwegian Santa Claus).
Christmas Eve, or "Julaften", is the main event in Norwegian Christmas celebrations. The day usually starts with last-minute Christmas shopping or a church service. At 5 pm, the bells ring out for Christmas, and most people sit down to a Christmas dinner at home or with relatives. The presents, which have been placed under the tree, are opened after dinner.
The traditional Christmas Eve dinner is "ribbe" (pork ribs or pork belly), but "lutefisk" (cod cured in lye), "pinnekjøtt" (dry-cured ribs of lamb), boiled cod, ham roast, and turkey are also common dishes. Many Norwegians like to have a "juleøl" ("Christmas beer") with their meal. Another traditional dish is "risengrynsgrøt" (hot rice pudding), which is often served to the barn gnome. In the countryside, people put a bowl of this pudding outside for the gnome. If there is any pudding left, it can be turned into "riskrem" (cold rice pudding mixed with whipped cream) and served as a dessert with a red sauce.
In the lead-up to Christmas Eve, Norwegians like to bake "pepperkake", a type of gingerbread cookie. Many parents bake these with their children and use them to make a "pepperkakehus" (gingerbread house). This is first used as a decoration and then eaten at the end of the holidays. Norwegians also decorate their Christmas trees with "julekurver" (heart-shaped paper baskets) and eat "julekaker" (heart-shaped waffles) covered in "brunost" (brown cheese).
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Christmas Day luncheons
Christmas in Norway is a big deal, with the majority of residents celebrating it. The country is a magical winter wonderland with snow, reindeer, and the Northern Lights. The focal point of the celebration is Christmas Eve, or Julaften, on the 24th of December, when families get together for the main Christmas meal and exchange gifts. The days between Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve are typically spent going to brunches and dinners with family and friends.
Christmas Day, on the 25th of December, is a much quieter affair and often quite private. It is marked by a Christmas Day luncheon called første juledags frokost, where the household serves all available delicacies in a grand buffet. Families might serve several kinds of meat, such as ham, fenalår (leg of lamb), cooked cured leg of lamb, pickled pigs' trotters, head cheese, mutton roll, pork roll, or ox tongue. Various kinds of fish are also served, such as smoked salmon, gravlax, rakfisk, and pickled herring. There will also be a range of cheeses and various types of jam.
After the meal, it is traditional to serve seven kinds of julebakst, pastries, and coffee breads associated with the holiday. Gingerbread and gingerbread houses are commonly decorated with sugar frosting. In some instances, gingerbread cookies are used for decorating windows and the Christmas tree. Although it originated in Sweden, strawberry-flavoured marshmallow Santa Claus candy, or juleskum, is also commonly eaten in Norway.
Christmas in Norway has its roots in the country's unique landscape and its Pagan traditions, with the term "jul" predating the introduction of Christianity. The celebration of Christmas in Norway also incorporates elements of old pagan traditions and Jewish Hannukah. The nisse tradition, for example, goes back centuries and is connected to old beliefs of elves and gnomes. Norwegians used to believe that nisse families lived in barns connected to farms and helped them during the spring and summer. To this day, many Norwegians put out a bowl of rice porridge, or Julegrøt, for the nisse families to eat on Christmas Eve.
Christmas in Norway is also a time for baking, with pepperkake, the Norwegian relative of the gingerbread cookie, being a popular treat. Many parents bake them with their children, and some even make a pepperkake house to be decorated and eventually eaten. Christmas is also high season for snacks and candy, with enormous amounts of marzipan being sold and consumed. Traditional Christmas candy such as burnt almonds and glazed apples can be bought at the Christmas markets.
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Pre-Christmas parties
Christmas in Norway is a big deal, with the majority of residents taking part in the celebrations. The Norwegian word for Christmas is Jul, which is pronounced "yool". The focal point of the celebration is Christmas Eve, or Julaften, on the 24th of December.
Norwegians start celebrating Christmas as early as November. Friends, families, and workplaces gather for pre-Christmas parties called julebord, which translates to "Christmas table". These parties are often held in restaurants or rented facilities with ordered catering. People usually dress up for these parties, with men wearing bow ties or suits, and women in ball gowns. It is customary for everyone to bring a different dish to contribute to the banquet, which features traditional Christmas foods and alcoholic drinks. The julebord tradition dates back to the communal parties held in medieval Norway as part of the Gulaþing.
In addition to the julebord, there are also Christmas markets and concerts all over the country. The streets are decorated and lit up, and Christmas trees are put up during the first weekend of Advent.
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Christmas markets
Christmas in Norway is a season filled with open fires, children playing in the snow, and handmade gifts at Christmas markets and fairs. The Norsk Folkemuseum's annual Christmas fair is one of the most popular Christmas markets in Norway. It is an open-air museum in Oslo with over 100 stalls, where visitors can shop while experiencing a historical retelling of Christmases from different centuries. The Norsk Folkemuseum is decorated according to various customs and eras, allowing visitors to experience Christmas at a merchant's home in 1769 and a rural family's home in 1959.
Another popular Christmas market is in the heart of Bergen, featuring a Ferris wheel, carousel, and indoor and outdoor stalls. There is also a warm, cosy tent where visitors can enjoy hot chocolate, gingerbread cookies, and other holiday treats. Bærums Verk offers a more old-fashioned pre-Christmas celebration, with Christmas trees, horse-drawn carts, holiday music, and performances. Visitors can listen to Christmas stories at Verket 1814 and admire crafts in labourer houses from the 18th century.
Spikersuppa, located on Oslo's main street, Karl Johans gate, is another Christmas fair that lasts over a month. Here, visitors can find unique gifts and culinary delights. In addition, the Norsk Folkemuseum in Oslo, which is decorated according to festive traditions, offers a glimpse into how Norwegians have celebrated Christmas for centuries. The houses at this open-air site are relocated from different parts of Norway, showcasing the country's diverse Christmas traditions.
The Christmas market in Lillehammer is also worth visiting. Located about an hour and a half from Oslo airport by train, it offers a quaint setting by Lake Mjøsa. Visitors can explore the Christmas market in the city centre and the one at the Maihaugen open-air museum, where they showcase how Christmas was celebrated in the Middle Ages.
With its unique traditions and cultural offerings, Norway provides a magical winter wonderland experience for locals and tourists alike during the Christmas season.
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Traditional foods and drinks
The traditional Christmas Eve dinner in Norway is ribbe, or pork ribs or pork belly with the bone in. Lutefisk (cod cured in lye), pinnekjøtt (dry-cured ribs of lamb), boiled cod, ham roast, and turkey are also common dishes. In Eastern Norway and Central Norway, pork rib roast is common, usually served with medisterkaker and medisterpølser (meatballs and sausages made of minced pork meat with suet).
Many Norwegians like to have a juleøl ("Christmas beer") with their Christmas meal—a malty beer that is available from November. The risengrynsgrøt (hot rice pudding) is an old, traditional dish, and in the countryside, many people put a bowl outside for the barn gnome. If there is pudding left, it can be made into riskrem, cold rice pudding mixed with whipped cream, a common Christmas dessert served with a red sauce.
A drink often served during Advent and Christmas is gløgg, a warm, spicy drink similar to German Glühwein. Another traditional drink is Akevitt, a distilled Scandinavian drink that contains 40% alcohol and is rarely consumed outside of the Christmas season.
In the lead-up to Christmas, Norwegians bake Christmas cookies (at least seven different kinds) and krum kakke, Fattig man, hazelnut cookies, sand kakke, and other delicacies. Gingerbread, or pepperkake, is also popular, and many parents bake these with their children, sometimes making a pepperkake house to be decorated and then eaten at the end of the holidays. Norwegians also eat heart-shaped waffles covered in traditional brunost (brown cheese).
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Frequently asked questions
The main day of Christmas celebration in Norway is Christmas Eve, or Julaften, which falls on the 24th of December. On this day, families get together for the main Christmas meal and exchange gifts.
Norway has several unique Christmas traditions, including the nisse tradition, which involves leaving a bowl of rice porridge (Julegrøt) in the barn or on the porch for nisse families (elf-like creatures) to eat. Norwegians also have their own version of Santa Claus, called Julenissen, who lives in the barn. Another unique tradition is the decoration of Christmas trees with heart-shaped paper baskets ("julekurver") filled with treats and flags.
Traditional Christmas foods in Norway vary regionally. In Northern and Western Norway, pinnekjøtt (salted and dried ribs of mutton) is common, while lutefisk and cod are popular in Southern Norway. In Eastern and Central Norway, pork rib roast is often served with meatballs and sausages. Other traditional dishes include fenalår (leg of lamb), ham, and various types of fish, cheeses, and pastries.
