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• 1 2015-11-23T05:34:41-08:00 Explaining Norwegian Christmas Traditions 7 Section on Norwegian Christmas traditions with quotes and pictures plain 2015-12-14T17:29:55-08:00           There are many important Christmas traditions in Norway, but every family is different in what they focus their time on. For some people, the focus on Christianity and the birth of Jesus Christ is what fills up their Christmas. For others, it’s the staple foods and presents, while for others the focus is on simply getting together with the family and cherishing that time together. No matter what the traditions are, this time is essential for so many families. Decorating the house is a very important experience with the tree, ornaments, lights, nativity scenes, tablecloths, and anything else that remind them of Christmas.           No matter what people focus the most on, the food is the tradition we will focus on here. One of the major food traditions is associated with småkaker (cookies). There are several different types of cookies, and which ones that will be made, depends on the family’s taste. Some people stick with the traditional  goro, while others prefer småkaker such as the sirupssnipper. However, it also depends on who participates in baking them. Most parents have certain recipes they will make on their own, saving some recipes to make with the children. Even though the baking is the most time-consuming, most children look forward to the delicious tasting of the dough and the finished product.          The tradition of making gingerbread buildings or objects is an old and cherished tradition. Before, most people would make their own gingerbread dough and cut out shapes to make a house. But with busy schedules the tradition has changed to buying premade parts and assembling it together as a family. Powdered sugar, eggs, and water make up the so-called “glue”, but you can always buy pre-made “glue”. After the house is put together and the glue has dried, the family can decorate the house with candy and Christmas figurines. Some people also try to simulate snow around the house and put lights in it.           Both in Norwegian culture and in immigrant culture there exists the tradition of krumkake. It is a cherished recipe, and many families keep their family recipe secret. Because of the fragility of the krumkaker, many families chose to leave this baking purely for the adults. Most of them are shaped like cones, while some are shaped into small bowls, which can be filled with whipped cream, or cloudberry whipped cream. It also depends on the family recipe whether or not it includes a dash of alcohol in them.           Another recipe that many immigrants brought with them to the United States is the lefse recipe. Lefse is one of the mostly used recipes in Norway, but what many people fail to recognize is that there are many different kinds of lefse. Some are thick as pizza dough with two round ones of equal size put together with a thick, buttery frosting in between them. A different kind is similar to what is used in the United States during thanksgiving made of potatoes. A third kind has a thinner frosting and a thinner dough with a different taste than the other ones. Each family have some sort of different recipe, or a different element to the frosting. Such family recipes bring memories of nostalgia and connection to old ancestors.           These traditions of food are essential to a family’s Christmas traditions. And these traditions stay with the family no matter where they go. Many people in Norway go on to be missionaries, and that happened with my own family. However, they tried to hang on to the traditions from Norway and kept making the småkaker. Just like the immigrant’s had to do when they arrived in Unites States, they had to find ways to change the recipe to fit ingredients available in the country they currently reside in. Most people make large batches of these småkaker, so that they can share it with guests or carolers and spread the message of Christmas joy.           Christmas traditions change over time, mostly because the effect social change has on different families. Many years ago, families could only get fruit a certain time of the year. And during the war, families were forced to acquire ingredients through the ration cards for margarine, sugar, flour, and other items. Therefore their choices were rather limited, and the småkaker, lefser, and other food differed depending on the wealth of the family. Nowadays, many people stray away from the traditional food, and buy Grandiosa pizza for the big Christmas Eve meal. Grandiosa pizzas are quite ordinary, but have become a staple in the Norwegian household.           There are several types of traditions when it comes to Christmas Eve. In Norway, most people celebrate Christmas on this day, and not on Christmas Day. Each family will have their different traditions and versions of the traditional staples. One of the most common of the traditional dishes is ribbe, which is pork ribs, and is what many people eat with potatoes and any type of sides the family prefers. This dish takes a long time to prepare, but it is worth it for the fantastic feast that is to be tasted by the family.           In addition to ribbe, there are two other famous staples in Norwegian Christmas: pinnekjøtt and turkey. Turkey is also used in the United States, but there has been a rise in the use of turkey for Christmas dinners. Pinnekjøtt is smoked lamb chops that are boiled on small sticks of wood before it is put in the oven with sausages and other sides. They can either be served with rise, mashed potatoes, or anything that the people prefer. Any of these dishes can also be used for New Years Eve dinner, depending on the family’s preference. Everyone has their own version of the recipes, and they make the traditional Christmas staples their own.