Norwegians have their own Christmas traditions, many that may seem strange to outsiders. Luke, a newcomer to Norway settled in a small hamlet in the far north, in Finnmark, with his family. This is their first Christmas there:

A Christmas in Øksfjord, Finmark.

By Luke Patterson

Today, I woke up exhausted.  It is difficult to convince yourself to crawl out of a toasty bed when natural instinct tells you that darkness is for sleeping.  The sun has left our little valley in Northern Norway and will not return until February 2010.  As I waved goodbye to my warm and comforting friend in the sky, it felt as if a loved one was about to make their way through the security doors at the International airport.

The locals were curious as to how I would handle this little test from nature and to be honest I was not optimistic. However, they were positive about the whole darkness thing. “It will go by so quickly….December is so busy, then January and the sun will be back like that!” I remained unconvinced.  Granted Christmas and the New Year celebrations are always hectic and shopping for presents is not a concept linked with time saving efficiency but what else is there really to do in December to keep my mind from descending into the same darkness that surrounded me.

The hysteria started in mid November. The bustling for the best Christmas food had already begun and my mother in law inquired about the whereabouts of our festive curtains.  The supermarket aisles were buzzing with eager shoppers keen to pick up the best bargains. A Norwegian Christmas dining table usually consists of at least one of Lutefisk (cod fish prepared in a sodium solution), pinnekjøtt (salted lamb ribs) and ribbe (roasted pork ribs). The main meal is usually preceded by a cup of hot red wine filled with almonds (gløgg) and finished with an ample serving of cold creamy rice topped with sweet red sauce (riskrem). 

Living in such a small and often isolated place has inspired the residents to provide the essential services during the festive season. This includes the home delivery of firewood, dried meat, dried fish and a type of half baked bread dough filled delightfully with cinnamon, sugar and butter, called lefse.

Cake baking, although therapeutic for some, can also be added to the demanding  list of Christmas jobs. Tradition states that seven different varieties of cakes should be baked before December 24. However, enjoying our first Christmas as a family in Norway, we have focused our baking talents on gingerbread cookies and a house to match.

The Christmas tree dilemma is one that has plagued the common family for decades. To buy real or fake, that is the question. The benefits of a plastic tree are numerous – inexpensive, clean, light weight and neat. Still, I could hardly ignore the annual display of ‘top shelf’ pine outside of the supermarket. I began an in-depth discussion with the ‘tree man’ . Apparently the specific needs of the family ought to be considered before choosing a suitable match. How big is our lounge room? How old are our kids? Do we have pets? What sort of tree stand do we have? Eventually, with the apprehension that usually exits when choosing a homeless puppy at the city pound, we picked our tree, parted with some cash and attached it to the car roof. Just three hours, multiple frustrations and much axe wielding later, the finest looking tree I had ever seen was standing tall, engulfing the entire lounge room with its regal like presence. In fact, it was so perfect and symmetric; one might question its authenticity.

The Julebord, Norway’s version of the office Christmas party, is an important component in the lead up to Christmas. Depending on the company and the size of the budget, a julebord can consist of anything from a low key lunch in the school cafeteria to a four day, all expenses paid trip to Barcelona. The main ingredients appear to be good food with accompanying drinks, raucous singing of both carols and drinking songs and enough embarrassing stories to last until the following year.

Christmas in Northern Norway is certainly not a time that you can hide from. It is a period of necessary relief from the frustrations of the dark winter months and a celebration of the turning of the sun as it heads back up towards the horizon. A  Norwegian Christmas in Finmark requires a good sense of humour, plenty of stamina and an organized mind. The preparations are hectic, the celebrations are wonderfully intense and by the end of it, we all need a holiday.

God Jul og Godt Nytt År!

Contributed by Luke Patterson. The author, a teacher, was born and raised in Melbourne, Australia. With his Norwegian wife and their two young children he moved to Øksfjord, Finnmark in April 2009. He now teaches English at the local school.