Christmas calendar Desember. 15-21, and a little bit about what Christmas in Norway is like.

A little bit about what Christmas is: 

Christmas is a common Nordic name for the great pagan festival that was celebrated around the winter solstice. The Nordic countries and England are the only areas where the old pagan name for the solstice festival survived the introduction of Christianity. After the introduction of Christianity in the Nordic countries, Christmas became a celebration commemorating the birth of Jesus. Read more here: https://snl.no/jul  

Norwegian Christmas and Norwegian Christmas traditions: 

Norwegian Christmas celebrations are based on Christian traditions, with elements from Norse midwinter celebrations and Jewish Hannuka. And new traditions are constantly emerging. 

In our capital Oslo, and other smaller cities: From the end of November, the city is characterized by Christmas shopping and Christmas preparations. On the first weekend of Advent, Christmas trees and Christmas streets are lit in the city centre. During the Advent period, you have good opportunities to catch a Christmas concert, a Christmas theater performance or a Christmas market. 

In the weeks before Christmas, it is common for companies, associations and groups of friends to have Christmas parties; a pre-Christmas party with Christmas food. The city is crowded at weekends, when restaurants and nightclubs in the center fill up with Christmas party guests. https://www.visitoslo.com/no/artikler/juletraditioner/ 

How I celebrate Christmas: 

December 23: We usually and decorate the Christmas tree as a family. In the recent years, we have decorated the Christmas tree on 1 December. We gather for dinner. This day porridge is on the menu. In the porridge there is one almond in the porridge. Whoever gets the almond wins a marzipan pig. We play some games together. 

In the evening, we put out some of the porridge for Santa Claus. 

December 24: Christmas celebration! 

Start the day by looking under the Christmas tree. There are Christmas stockings with candy and a small Christmas present from "Santa" who has been and eaten the porridge we put out for him.

Then we see the movie three wishes for Cinderella.  

Mum and dad tend to cook the food, and spend most of the day doing it. Either we go to church, or it's mostly Christmas preparations and Christmas treats. At Christmas, it's either just mum, dad, my sisters, Gizmo (our dog) and me, or the grandparents are there too and celebrate Christmas with us. When dinner starts to approach, we put the packages under the Christmas tree before the rest of the guests arrive. Dinner starts at 5 p.m., then the Silver Boys ring Christmas in.

For dinner there are ribs, Christmas sausages, meat cake, sauerkraut, potatoes, sauce, Brussels sprouts, potatoes, cutlets and lingonberries. Proper Christmas dinner!  

After dinner, we distribute and open presents. Taking pictures and filming each other so that we have memories for next year again.

After the gifts, it's dessert, then it's rice cream with raspberry sauce! 

After dessert it starts to get late, so then Christmas is over and we leave/go each to our own. 

December 25: It's Christmas Day, here we usually just relax and enjoy the day with each other. We watch a movie or play a game together.