Christmas in Norway

A whole season of magic!

The celebration and preparations for the holiday season usually kick off on the last weekend in November, when the streets are decorated and lights are strung up, Christmas cookies (seven different kinds, at a minimum) are baked, and Christmas gift shopping gets serious. At least one joyful Christmas concert should be attended too.

Christmas in Norway is a whole season filled with the warmth from open fires, the sound of giggling children playing in the snow, and, of course, handmade gifts at numerous Christmas fairs and markets.

Norwegian cities have become very popular Christmas destinations. Combine the holiday season with world class art and museums in Oslo, quiet fjords in Bergen, northern lights in Tromsø, and tasty culinary experiences in Trondheim.

Go Christmas shopping

As in many European countries, most Norwegian towns and cities have Christmas fairs and markets.

In the city of Drøbak near Oslo, you'll find the popular Tregaarden's Christmas House - Scandinavia’s only year-round Christmas shop!

Not far from Oslo, you’ll find Hadeland Glassverk where you can purchase handmade glass made by local artisans.

Many restaurants serve typical Norwegian Christmas dishes, often made with local ingredients. The menu usually consists of ribbe (pork ribs), pinnekjøtt (salt-cured lamb ribs), and, in some parts of Norway, cod.

In bakeries, ask for Norwegian Christmas cookies like goro, krumkaker and berlinerkrans. In supermarkets, you can buy a fun do-it-yourself kit for building your own miniature gingerbread house.

Making gingerbread houses is very popular, especially in Bergen, where each year kindergartens, schools, businesses, and thousands of individuals pitch in to build a huge gingerbread town. And this has been done every year since the Christmas of 1991!

On Christmas Eve, most Norwegians gather for a traditional meal and the opening of presents. Sometimes Santa Claus will pay them a visit.

Although Santa Claus has long since established himself in Norway, we also have Fjøsnissen, a small Santa-like creature who lives in the barn. Don't forget to make him his favourite dish! It's a Norwegian tradition to bring a bowl of Nissegrøt, rice porridge, out to the barn for Fjøsnissen on Christmas Eve.

All in all, the whole country is an ongoing huge festival of lights that keep on shining for weeks after New Year’s Eve to preserve that fairy tale spirit.

Why Norwegians call Christmas Jul

In Norwegian, the term jul has its origins in the old Norse word jól. This word was used to describe the midwinter celebration and the winter solstice in Norse culture. Similar words, like yule exist in the English vocabulary as well, as does Joulu in Finnish, Jõulud in Estonian, and Julfest in German.

The jul holiday included rituals like juleblot, where offerings were made to the gods to ensure a bountiful harvest and protection during the cold winter months ahead. It was also a time for social gatherings, lavish feasts, and the exchange of gifts.

Over time, with the advent of Christianity, the old Norse customs gradually merged with Christian Christmas celebrations. Nevertheless, many of the ancient traditions and symbols have endured in modern Norwegian Christmas celebrations.

When Norwegians celebrate jul, they are thus honouring both Christian and ancient Norse traditions that have merged to create the unique Norwegian Christmas celebration we know today.

But the word jul actually predates the introduction of Christianity. Although we don’t know much about how the old heathens celebrated, we know that they used to sacrifice animals and drink. In other words, their rituals weren’t totally different from ours!

Active Christmas adventures

In addition to the many Christmas markets, there are a variety of Christmas concerts all over the country.

Some hotels and restaurants keep their doors open, while some are closed from 24 to 26 December. If you want to hit the slopes during your stay, pick a hotel in the mountains or near a ski resort, and enjoy all the things you can do in the snow.