1. Celebrate the 24th of December – We got to church and hear the Christmas Gospel
2. Family gatherings – It that time in the year that the family comes together.
3. Food – At Christmas we eat and make much food. As Christmas dinner, many people in Norway eat rack of lamb ribs, pork ribs or something called lutefisk. The latter is dried codfish prepared in a potash lye. We also make many different cookies. The tradition says that we ought to have seven different kinds. And many families are following this tradition.
4. Decoration – Around Christmas time we use a lot of different decorations such as stars in our windows to symbolise the star the wise men followed to Jesus. We also decorate with different kind of angels, Santa Clause figures and often red table cloths and candles. One thing many of us Norwegians decorate with during Christmas is the stable where Maria gave birth to Jesus Christ. The perhaps most used Christmas decorations is the typical Christmas tree, on which we put ribbons, electric lights and tinsel, for example.
5. Gifts - Norwegians are known for spending a lot of money in the Christmas time. Young people in Norway got big problems when they are telling people what they want for Christmas, because they can get almost everything they want.
6. Christmas carols- Music in Christmas times is a must have. People start singing Christmas songs as early as November, and it is one of the most important ingredients to get the right Chritmas spirit.
7. Television shows – During Christmas nearly all the TV channels in Norway broadcast Christmas related shows and movies. Many Norwegians watch these shows, and it is especially two shows called “Kvelden før kvelden” and “Hovmesteren” that are the most popular ones, and on Christmas Eve they broadcast the movie “Cinderella”. Which is also very popular!
8. White Christmas - Everyone wishes for a white Christmas, and we sometimes get it. The winter here is really cold, so it is possible for the snow to come. Many people go skiing, snowboarding, slalom etc. Snow on Christmas eve is the ultimate perfect Christmas. It is the top of the decoration.
9. Old Pixie- In other countries Santa Claus is comming through their chimney on Christmas night. In Norway we have old pixies that live at the farms on the barn at Christmas time. We feed them by setting a bowl of rice porridge in the barn. Another tradition is also to set a sheaf of corn outside the barn, to feed the little birds.
10. Advent - Early in November the stores start selling Christmas food and decoration. And at the 1st of December, the count down for Christmas starts. The children have many different advents calendars; choclate calendar, calendar with gifts, calendars at the television etc. Every house is decorated with purple tablecloths and lights. And the four last Sundays before Christmas we light a candle. One candle the first Sunday, followed by two the second Sunday, Three the third Sunday and four lights the last Sunday of Advent.
those are nice activities, i guess you've got a lot of work to put that all together.
ReplyDeleteMerry x-mas!