| Norwegian children always remember a little gnome, or Nisse at Christmastime. He guards all the farm animals, and he plays tricks on the children if they forget to place a bowl of special porridge or risengrynsgrøt for him on Christmas Eve. People also eat porridge on December 23rd. It is called lillejulaften. A single "magic" almond is placed in the porridge, and the one who finds it wins a prize. Norway has its gift-bearing little gnome or elf, the Julebukk or "Christmas buck." In the late afternoon between Christmas and New Year's children julebukk, which means they go from house to house, often singing Christmas carols, asking for goodies . (It is a little like trick or treating on Halloween here.) The Norwegian Santa Claus, julenisse, arrives with gifts on Christmas Eve. Christmas Eve is the main day of celebration in Norway. Families gather, carols are sung, and presents are shared. On Christmas Day a lot of people have a big brunch at noon or dinner in the afternoon for friends and family. Traditional cakes and cookies made at Christmas can be julekake (with raisins), kryddekake, delfiakake, rosettes, fattigmann, smultringer, goro, silkekaker, pepperkaker, kokosmakroner. A favorite holiday cookie is called a sand kager is made by mixing 2 cups of butter and sugar, 4 cups of flour, and 1 cup of chopped almonds. This pressed into a tin, baked until golden brown, and cut into squares.
God Jul! (Merry Christmas!) |
