Christmas in Norway facts for kids
Jul or jol ([jʉːɽ]) is the name for the Christmas holiday season in Scandinavia and parts of Scotland. The word "jul" used to be the name of a month in an old Germanic calendar. Today, "Jul" is a special time that lasts for about eight weeks. It starts four Sundays before Christmas Eve (December 24) and usually ends in mid-January, around Epiphany. The English words "yule" and "yuletide" are related to "Jul".
You'll hear the term "Jul" in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, Greenland, Scotland, and the Faroe Islands. The main part of Jul is from December 24 until the New Year. The season has five main parts: Advent, Julaften (Christmas Eve), Romjul (the week after Christmas), Nyttår (New Year), and The End of Christmas.
Modern Jul celebrations mix old traditions from the Church year with even older customs from before Christianity. The most important day in Scandinavia is Christmas Eve (julaften). This is when families eat their big Christmas meal and open gifts. This tradition comes from an old Germanic custom of counting time by nights, not days.
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What is Jul?
Jul was originally a celebration during the second moon of winter. This was a good time to celebrate because animals were fat and ready for food, and all the autumn farm work was done.
Long ago, farmers had to brew special beer for Jul. They would have parties to celebrate. Even after Christianity came to Scandinavia, people still brewed Jul beer. But instead of honoring old gods, they drank to honor Christ and the Virgin Mary.
A fun part of Norse folklore is the nisse. This is a mythological creature often seen as a white-bearded, red-wearing spirit. He is also known as Julenissen (Jul spirit). Over time, the nisse combined with other figures like Sinterklaas to become the Santa Claus we know today. People used to leave a bowl of rice porridge with butter for the Jul spirit as a thank you. This food was like a special offering.
Common Jul Customs
Just like in many other parts of the world, Jul includes a Christmas Dinner, decorated Christmas trees, and exchanging gifts. Gifts are brought by "Julenissen," who looks just like Santa Claus.
Some old customs from farm life are still around. People decorate with green branches from spruce or fir trees. Sometimes, they hang a bundle of wheat outside for the birds.
Jul Food
The food eaten during Jul changes depending on where you are in Scandinavia.
- In Northern and Western Norway, a common dish is pinnekjøtt. This is salted and dried mutton ribs, sometimes smoked, and then steamed.
- In Southern Norway, Lutefisk and cod are popular.
- In Eastern Norway and Central Norway, pork rib roast is common. It's usually served with medisterkaker and medisterpølser (dumplings and sausages made from minced pork).
- Recently, turkey has also become popular for Jul.
On Christmas Day, many families have a big lunch called Første Juledags Frokost. This is a huge buffet with many different foods. You might find various meats like ham, lamb, pickled pig's trotters, and different kinds of fish like smoked salmon and pickled herring. There are also many cheeses and jams.
After this meal, it's traditional to have seven kinds of julebakst. These are special pastries and coffee breads for the holiday. Gingerbread and gingerbread houses are often decorated with frosting. Sometimes, gingerbread cookies are even used to decorate windows or the Christmas tree!
On Christmas Eve, many families eat risengrynsgrøt. This is a type of rice porridge with a single almond hidden inside. Whoever finds the almond wins a prize, usually a marzipan pig.
Brewing beer is also a big part of Jul preparations. Most Norwegian breweries release a special Christmas beer. It's usually darker, stronger, and has more flavor than regular beers. Breweries also make a special soda called julebrus. Aquavit is often served after the big meals to help with digestion.
Phases of Jul
Julebord
A Julebord is a holiday banquet or party, often a buffet, where traditional Christmas foods and drinks are served. These parties start in November and continue into December. The tradition comes from old community parties held in medieval Norway.
Today, Julebord parties are often held at restaurants or rented places. They are popular for companies to celebrate the end of the year with their employees. Schools and kindergartens also have Julebord parties.
Advent
Advent begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas. It's a time of waiting and preparing for Christmas.
From December 1 to 24, many children have an Advent calendar. These calendars have a small gift for each day leading up to Christmas. Often, they contain sweets like chocolate, small toys, or even Lego pieces to build something bigger over the month.
Little Christmas
December 23 is sometimes called "Little Christmas Eve." Many families use this day to decorate their Christmas tree if they haven't already. Some families let children open one small gift as a hint of the fun to come on Christmas Eve.
Julaften (Christmas Eve)
Christmas Eve is a very special day. In the morning, many families watch classic movies like "Three Wishes for Cinderella" and "Reisen til Julestjernen" on TV. Some children get a Christmas stocking filled with candy when they wake up. Parents often use this time to prepare the big Christmas dinner.
Many families go to church before dinner, even if they don't go to church at other times of the year. It's common to eat rice porridge for lunch. The main dinner is usually at 5 PM, when church bells ring to mark the start of the holiday. This is called "ringe julen inn," meaning "ringing in Christmas."
After dinner and dessert (often leftover rice porridge mixed with whipped cream, called riskrem, with berry sauce), it's time to open gifts!
Romjul
Romjul is the week between Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve. During this time, hunting wild animals is not allowed. This period is called "Julefred" or "Christmas Peace."
December 25 (First Day of Christmas) and December 26 (Second Day of Christmas) are public holidays, and most businesses are closed. December 25 is usually a very private day spent only with family. On December 26, it's common to invite close friends over to help eat the leftover Christmas food.
Julebukk
"Julebukk" means "Yule Goat." Today, it's often a goat figurine made of straw, used as a Christmas decoration. The Yule Goat has a long history. It was once linked to Thor's magical goats that pulled his chariot through the night sky. The Yule Goat was also seen as a spirit that protected the house during Jul.
In the past, during Romjul, people would sometimes dress up in animal masks and skins, often as goats or horses. They would go from house to house, singing and offering good wishes. In return, they would receive small amounts of money, food, or drinks.
New Year's Eve
December 31 is often a half-day at work. In the evening, families usually have a dinner party, similar to Christmas Eve. It's common to invite friends or neighbors. As midnight gets closer, people often go outside to light fireworks and congratulate each other on the new year.
End of Christmas
The exact date when Jul ends can vary. One common date is January 7, which is the thirteenth day of Christmas, also called Epiphany. Another date is January 13, the twentieth day, also called Epiphany Day. By Candlemas on February 2, most Christmas trees and decorations have usually been put away.
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