Read news from:
Austria
SHARE
COPY LINK
For members

NORWEGIAN TRADITIONS

Five Norwegian Christmas traditions foreigners find strange 

Whether it's the food, games, approach to advent calendars or the weird dub of a Czech retelling of Cinderella, Norwegians have several traditions that seem strange from the outside looking in. 

Published: 8 December 2023 15:57 CET
Updated: 24 December 2023 08:30 CET
Pictured is a close up of a reindeer.
Norway has a number of Christmas traditions that many might consider strange. Pictured is a close up of a reindeer. Photo by Juliane Liebermann on Unsplash

Every country has its traditions, and Christmas in Norway is guaranteed to be different to what you might be used to. 

Having grown up with many of the same Norwegian Christmas traditions, the locals tend not to think much about them or how much sense they do or do not make. 

However, if you’ve grown up elsewhere, many things will seem a little out of the ordinary. You may want to adopt some of them into your own traditions, others you may learn about from the sidelines instead. 

Tre nøtter til Askepott

Everyone has the films and TV shows they watch to get into the Christmas spirit or something they’ll watch on the day. For UK readers, this might be Bond or Wallace and Gromit (hopefully not Mrs Browns Boys).

Our American audience might prefer a classic like Miracle on 34th Street or something modern like The Grinch or Home Alone. 

Norwegians choose to watch a Czech retelling of Cinderella from the 1970s. As if that wasn’t strange enough, the dubbing is done by one male performer. 

The dubbing performer, Knut Risan, could even be considered the voice of Christmas in Norway, as more than 1 million people typically tune in to watch the Christmas classic. 

The interesting spin on this version of Cinderella sees her given three nuts that contain a special outfit. 

The movie has received the Hollywood treatment in recent years, with a modern remake featuring Norwegian actors. But for many, nothing comes close to the original. 

Soda wars

There could be a separate list on the food traditions. For starters, there are the annual light-hearted debates among friends, families and colleagues over which Christmas soda is best. 

Many pick one colour, red or brown, and stick to it for the rest of their lives. Other parts of the country may see other colour variations, and in Telemark, there’s a choice between “clear” and “murky”. 

Red Christmas soda is usually sweet and fruity, while the brown variant is often more full-bodied and very sweet. 

The partisan approach to food doesn’t just end at soda; there are also three Christmas dinner options. 

These are cured mutton ribs (pinnekjøtt), ribbe (roasted pork belly), and lutefisk. Lutefisk is a fish that has been cured in lye. 

For those unaware of what lye is, the Oxford English Dictionary defines the substance as “a strongly alkaline solution, especially of potassium hydroxide, used for washing or cleansing”.

This gives the fish a gelatinous texture. This and the smell put many off trying the dish. 

Do play with your food 

Once the annual arguments over food are settled, it is typically time to sit down for your Christmas meal. 

Good manners dictate that playing with one’s food is impolite. In Norway, you are specifically encouraged to play with your food when eating a rice porridge/pudding. 

This is because there will be an almond in there somewhere. The person who finds the almond wins a marzipan pig. 

You are also supposed to leave some porridge out for the nisse. These are gnome-like guardian spirits who live in barns. If you don’t leave the porridge out, the nisse will wreak havoc in the coming year. 

Advent calendars 

Many grow up with the tradition of Advent calendars. Norwegian do too, they typically have one of the more traditional type and one that takes the form of a TV show. 

The majority in Norway grew up watching serialised episodes of Advent calendars. The episodes are released daily and are normally around 20 minutes long. 

They normally carry an overall message about what Christmas means in the modern age or the importance of family and friendship. 

Julebord

Meaning Christmas table, a julebord is the traditional Christmas party. These can be put on by both your work and any clubs and societies you are signed up for. 

Typically, they involve an equal amount of alcohol and speeches. Given how reserved Norwegians can come across, it may be the only time of the year you really see your colleagues let loose. 

Such is the popularity of julebord, the weeks leading up to Christmas could be considered a fifth season of the year – julebord season.

While a Christmas party might not sound too strange, it needs to be experienced to be appreciated. 

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.
Become a Member to leave a comment.
For members

WORKING IN NORWAY

Why do Norwegians take such long summer holidays?

Summer in Norway sees offices nationwide come to a standstill as workers head out on three-week-long holidays. Have you ever wondered how summer holidays of at least three weeks became so popular?

Published: 5 July 2024 11:48 CEST
Why do Norwegians take such long summer holidays?

Offices, cafes, shops, salons, and plenty of other business close for a few weeks in July, with other things such as public services becoming much harder to reach until the end of the month or beginning of August.

This is referred to as “fellesferie” or the “joint” or “collective” holiday when translated into English. Given how many take the holidays, large parts of Norway can feel surprisingly empty during the summer.

Syden is the affectionate Norwegian term to describe the Mediterranean destinations that are typically popular, although many will also choose to holiday in Sweden, Denmark, or a cabin in rural parts of Norway.

READ ALSO: How to enjoy summer in Norway like a Norwegian

When did Norwegians start taking such long holidays?

The practice dates back to the interwar years in Norway when employers and employee organisations agreed on a three-week collective holiday period.

This ended up being a win/win situation for both parties. For the companies, it was more practical and profitable to let all the workers take holidays at the same time and close their operations down completely.

The workers were allowed to enjoy time off when Norway typically expects (but doesn’t always get) its best weather.

The scheme made its way into other industries through collective bargaining agreements. Collective bargaining agreements have played a massive role in developing workers’ rights in Norway and continue to play an important role today.

Three-week-long holidays written into law

Workers’ rights in Norway are best described as a result of tripartite cooperation where employers, employee organisations and the government work together on matters regarding employment in the country. This is also referred to as the ‘Norwegian Model’.

This model has led to high levels of union membership in the country. Furthermore, the model has filled in gaps where there aren’t laws. For example, there is no universal minimum wage in Norway, the law only covers minimum wages in a handful of sectors.

Instead, unions strike collective bargaining agreements that cover minimum wages, working hours and conditions, and salary increases on behalf of members. Some non-members can also benefit from these to ensure that non-members don’t undercut workers in unions.

Sometimes, collective bargaining agreements covering working rights can lead to legislation later down the light. The right to annual leave in Norway began to develop around 1900, through union deals, but later through law.

Norway has its own Holiday Act these days. Under the law, workers in Norway have the right to at least 25 days of holiday per year. Some workers are entitled to more through their collective bargaining agreement.

Much like the initial right to holiday, the law was updated to allow more workers to enjoy a summer holiday. The Holiday Act means employees can demand up to three consecutive weeks off between the start of June and the end of September.

This means that even companies that do not shut up shop for the summer holidays will see large parts of the workforce disappear.

The other ten days of the year can be taken whenever you wish and can be used up in blocks or used individually.

Employers also have rights during fellesferie and can require employees to take a holiday during this period if the business reduces or closes operations during the “main holiday period.”

Workers can only refuse to take a holiday during this period if the holiday pay they have earned so far will not cover the loss of income during the holiday.

SHOW COMMENTS