Christmas in
Norway
Celebrated: December 24 through January 6
Signature traditions
- 1.Hiding all the brooms in the house on Christmas Eve so witches can't steal them for night flights
- 2.Making seven different types of cookies (syv slag) before Christmas
- 3.Feeding birds with sheaves of wheat hung outside
- 4.Walking a candlelit procession to the family graves on Christmas Eve
- 5.The juletre (Christmas tree) is set up just before Christmas Eve, never weeks early
What's on the table
Pinnekjøtt, ribbe, and lutefisk
Christmas Eve dinner varies by region: pinnekjøtt (cured lamb ribs steamed over birch sticks) on the west coast, ribbe (pork belly) in the east, and lutefisk (lye-cured cod) for the brave.
The iconic decoration
Heart-shaped baskets and the julenisse
Woven paper hearts (julehjerter) hang on trees, often handmade by children. The julenisse — a small bearded gnome — guards the farm and gets a bowl of porridge left out for him on Christmas Eve.
How gifts are given
Julenissen delivers gifts on Christmas Eve evening, usually after the family meal.
Did you know?
The Christmas tree that lights up Trafalgar Square in London each year is a gift from Norway — sent annually since 1947 as a thank-you for British support during World War II.