Christmas Preparations

When I was growing up, spring cleaning was a ritual that happened before Easter, but in Norway, the big time cleaning happens before Christmas.  Everyone goes crazy cleaning all their nooks and crannies so the house looks spotless for the holidays. 

All the women I know in Norway just love Christmas.  They love the lights, candles, decorations, special foods, visits and traditions.   The Good Teacher Inga thinks the reason people busy themselves so much with cleaning and baking is because it gives them something to do while they wait out the darkest month of the year.  She said part of the excitement of Christmas is knowing that the sun is about to turn a corner and the short days are soon behind them.   

All kinds of delicacies and culinary treats dominate the stores and homes in December.  My son, Kaleb, and I got hooked on “Julebrus” (Christmas pop), even though we aren’t pop drinkers, but it’s nothing like pop in America.  Special cookies, breads, soups and candies also become available during Advent.  They even sell a Christmas beer, which goes well with the special sausages and different kinds of meats only available during the holidays.  Lamb is cured in a unique way for Christmas and every Norwegian I knew licked their lips just thinking about eating it for Christmas Eve dinner.  Spekkekjøtt, a dried and heavily salted leg of lamb, is also available only at Christmas and my husband waits all year for it.  Lucky for him a Norwegian specialty store in Seattle sells it.  He drives down like a giddy little boy every year to get it, but I make him keep it and eat it in the garage because it stinks up the house.

Christmas in Norway is more like Thanksgiving in America, since it’s primarily about food and fellowship (minus the thankfulness.) Gift giving has never been a big part of Christmas in Norway, until just recently.  It took a few years after I married my very Norwegian husband, to fully understand just why he never bought me Christmas gifts.  It wasn’t a case of neglect, he said, he is just a product of his culture and heritage.  He never got gifts at Christmas when he was growing up, so he doesn’t see the point of doing gifts now as an adult. I have adapted and now buy my own presents, but should the man ever be denied his spekkekjøtt, that, I believe, would be neglect.