How to celebrate Christmas like we do in Norway

People celebrate Christmas in many different ways. I am going to tell you a little bit about the Norwegian Christmas.

Food

In Norway food is a very important part of Christmas. We make all kinds of homemade food before Christmas.
On Christmas Eve most Norwegians eat rib or salted and dried rib of mutton, Turkey that is very common in many other countries, is not so normal to eat in Norway on Christmas Eve (But many families eat turkey on New Years Eve). Early in December it very ordinary to make gingerbreads with friends and family.

It is also very normal to celebrate Christmas at the cottage. Then you often hew your own Christmas tree. This does not always look as nice a normal Christmas tree, but it is a very nice tradition. We also like to make our own decorations for the tree.

The thing I think is most different from other countries it that we open the presents on Christmas eve. We do not open the presents on christmas day, like in the us and Great Britain for example, but on Christmas eve (December 24th). Så in Norway Christmas eve (Julaften on Norwegian) is the highlight of Christmas for most kids. But if you were wondering we do put our presents under the tree.

Since Norway is such a cold country it is often snow in December, especially in the mountains. Then many people go downhill skiing or cross country skiing. 

Do you celebrate Chrstmas? If you do, do you have any special traditions?


Kilder:

http://www.aperitif.no/Oppskrifter2/mat/julemat/Naa-skal-det-bakes-pepperkaker (bilde 1)

http://asalmanakk.blogspot.no/2013/12/skal-det-vre-en-julegran.html (bilde 2)

http://lisba.net/frontpage?page=4 (bilde 3)

http://blogg.hannor.no/author/admin/page/9/ (bilde 4)

Written by Mathilde