Advent

There is big excitement in Norway when Advent season starts.  I spent my whole life not knowing what “Advent” meant, so the tradition was a new one for me. 

Advent is huge in Norway as it begins the arrival of the Christmas season.  Special candles get lit on each of the four Sundays before Christmas to “light the way” in anticipation of Jesus’ birth.  It’s all very symbolic and special. I’m glad we got to go through it in Norway where the whole country celebrates this tradition, even if they aren’t professing Christians.

Norway used to be known as a “Christian” nation but they recently changed that to “secular and Christian,” as there are nearly as many professing “humanists” as “Christians.”  Many believe in the Bible and that Jesus is God’s son and He died on the cross and rose again, but they brush it off with, “We just don’t take it personally.”  

Advent is not so much about religion any more, as it is tradition.  There’s not a house in the land that doesn’t have some kind of light in their window for Advent – either a lit star, or an electric set of candles that sit on an upside down V in the windowsill.  Many houses have lights shining in every window and none of them get turned on before the first day of Advent, which is this coming Sunday.

There is a great deal of conformity in Norway as no one would dare turn on their lights early because, “You just don’t do that.”  That’s a phrase I often heard about many things.  There’s a lot of pride in everyone doing things properly, and no one “over does it” with Christmas lights like some American’s do.  They laugh a great deal at our excessive and garish ways.  Most people use only white lights, too.  I guess colored ones are a bit too gaudy by Norwegian standards.

The calendar fills up during Advent, as it’s by far the busiest season of the year.  The State Church and schools send out flyers with all the different events going on in December.  My son’s school held a special kick-off party the first day of Advent with the lighting of the school’s Christmas tree at five o’clock on a Sunday.  The school band played a few Christmas songs, the drill team performed a little march to one of the tunes, and after a quick speech, the lights came on the tree and everyone cheered.  They handed out gingersnap cookies, tangerines and hot Glogg  - a very tasty Scandinavian Christmas drink.  All of this took place outside on the school playground in below freezing temperatures. 

The hardiness of Norwegians is very impressive, especially when they brave the elements of nature.  I’m sure, had it been raining hard or even snowing, the show would have still gone on to a packed house. 

It’s funny, they seem to have put God in a box, but they sure don’t want to be there themselves.