Here’s everything you need to know about an over-a-month-long Norwegian Christmas.
Snow cover streets, colourful lights, and reindeer strolling along the streets, Norway is setting up the mood for Christmas. Yes, much like any other countries, Norway also celebrates Christmas with full zeal and happiness. But the Norwegian Christmas is a little bit more than the others. Here are a few experiences that will make you book your tickets to Norway right away:
Christmas Preparation in Norwegian style
If you’re in Norway its must that by the beginning of December you’ll be preparing for ‘Jul’, this is what Norwegian refer Christmas as. In the pre-Christmas period, many cultural local fairs are organized along with Christmas concert. Visit Maihangen local market, it host a popular market, where the museum’s traditional Christmas market features decorated houses ranging from the Middle Ages to the 1950s along with Christmas workshops, gingerbread baking, puppet shows, woodcarving, Christmas card photography, and more than 100 stalls selling a variety of local wares.
Christmas shopping in Norway
If you’re planning for more interesting exploration then visit the Norsk Forke museum annual Christmas fair at Oslo. See the exhibition which showcases ‘A Christmas Tale’ relating to the story of Norwegian Christmas. If you’re looking for gifts of art & craft then travel to Bergen’s Christmas market. Bergen which is known as gingerbread town, offers a magical season of Christmas. This year Bergen’s is hosting Christmas fair where you see amazing creativity of gingerbread cakes illustrating houses, castles and churches.
Experience the splendor of Northern Light
The ultimate gift of visiting Norway is the Northern lights or the Aurora Borealis. As the Christmas spirit is lurking around the corner, the definite see is the Northern light during the season. One of the place in Norway which conveys the mood of the holiday is Henningsvaer which is bathed in Northern Lights. Henningsvaer has most well-persevered architecture of the Norwegian culture, you can find colourful homes around the harbour.
Taste local Christmas cuisine
The Norwegians like any other countries, have specialty on their menu for Christmas. The signature dishes includes Ribbe (roasted pork ribs), which is usually served with sauerkraut (fermented cabbage) and boiled potatoes, Christmas sausages, meatballs and gravy in the Eastern and Mid- Norway. Whereas in the West coast of Norway the main course has Pinnekjøtt (lamb ribs) which is dried roasted meat stick. Another traditional dish of Nordic country is the Lutefisk, which made from stockfish or dried or salted fish. You can taste all these typical Norwegian delicacies at the local restaurants during your visit. Other on the list is the Norwegian Christmas cookies like goro, krumkaker or berlinekrans, which you can pick at the local bakeries. Also grab a fun do-it-yourself kit for building your own, miniature gingerbread house.
Christmas celebration
The main celebration starts on the 24th evening, where the families come together of the evening dinner. The days between Christmas and New Year is called ‘Romjulen’ during this time most of the restaurants and bar are closed and the local prefer going out with families to skiing and sledding, and even open to travellers. From 27th the shops open again and the celebration continues till 6th January the feast of Three Kings. Officially Christmas is over in Norway on 13th January, where the decorations are put down and the Christmas tree is chopped off and burned in firewood.
So, you have got entire long season to celebrate Christmas in Norway, its time pack your bags and enjoy the Christmas like Norwegian chic.
