Christmas in Scandinavia
There are many wonderful Scandinavian Christmas traditions that make a December visit to the Nordic region worth braving the cold weather. While they may share some seasonal customs, Scandinavian countries have individual beliefs and their own unique ways of celebrating the holidays. If you are planning a trip to the Nordic region, including the countries of Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, and Iceland, brush up on local folklore.
Sweden
The Swedish Christmas begins with Saint Lucia Day on December 13. Lucia was a third-century martyr who brought food to Christians in hiding. Usually, the eldest girl in the family portrays St. Lucia, putting on a white robe in the morning wearing a crown of candles (or a safer substitute). She serves her parents buns and coffee or mulled wine.Christmas trees are set up usually a couple days before Christmas with decorations that include flowers such poinsettia, called julstjärna in Swedish, red tulips and red or white amaryllis.
On Christmas Eve, or Julafton, Swedes celebrating Christmas attend church services. They return home to a traditional family dinner including a buffet dinner (smorgasbord) with ham, pork, or fish and a variety of sweets.
After the festive Christmas Eve dinner, someone dresses up as Tomte. According to Swedish folklore, Tomte is the Christmas gnome who lives in the forest.
Tomte is the Swedish equivalent to
Santa Claus, who hands out gifts. To wish others the "Merry Christmas"
greeting in Swedish is God Jul.
Denmark
Children help decorate their family Christmas trees in the weeks leading up to the Christmas holiday in Denmark, which formally begins on December 23. The celebration kicks off with a meal that includes a traditional cinnamon rice pudding called grod.Santa Claus is known as Julemanden, which translates to "the Yule Man." He is said to arrive on a sleigh drawn by reindeer with presents for the children. He is assisted with his Yuletide chores by elves known as julenisser, who are traditionally believed to live in attics, barns, or similar places. The mischievous Danish elves play pranks on people during Christmastime. On Christmas Eve, many Danish families leave some rice pudding or porridge for the elves, so they do not play any pranks on them. In the morning, the children are delighted to find that the porridge has been consumed while they slept.
The meals on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day are quite elaborate. On Christmas Eve, Danes have a Christmas dinner usually of duck or goose, red cabbage, and caramelized potatoes. The traditional dessert is a light rice pudding with whipped cream and chopped almonds. This rice pudding usually contains one whole almond, and whoever finds it wins a treat of chocolate or marzipan.
On Christmas morning, Danish cupcakes called ableskiver are
traditionally served. For Christmas Day lunch, cold cuts and different
types of fish usually make up the meal. On Christmas night, families
gather around Christmas tree, exchange presents, and sing carols.To say, "Merry Christmas," in Danish is Glaedelig Jul.
Norway
Christmas Eve is the main event in Norway. "Merry Christmas" in Norwegian is Gledelig Jul or God Jul. For many, it includes church services and last-minute shopping for gifts. At 5 p.m., the churches ring their Christmas bells. Most people have a dinner of ribbe (pork ribs) or lutefisk (a cod dish) at home, so restaurants are usually closed. Christmas Eve dessert usually includes gingerbread or risengrynsgrot, a hot rice pudding, and mulled wine, glogg, for the grownups. Then Christmas gifts are opened after dinner.Also, Norway has a mischievous Christmas elf called Nisse. This folkloric creature is personified as a white-bearded, red-wearing spirit of the winter solstice. Today, he has been integrated with the figure of Sinterklass, modern day Santa Claus.
Like the cookies traditionally left for Santa Claus today, it was customary to leave a bowl of rice porridge for the Nisse.
Paying homage to their Viking heritage, Norweigians recognize the tradition of the Julebukk, in
Norwegian which translates to "Yule Goat." Today it is symbolized by a
goat figurine made out of straw, created in the beginning of December,
and often used as a Christmas ornament. The Yule Goat's oldest
representation is that of Thor's magical goats, which would lead him
through the night sky. The Yule Goat would protect the house during
Yuletide. It had been Norse tradition to sacrifice a goat to the gods
and the accompanying spirits during the time span between the Winter
Solstice and the New Year. The Yule Goat was a good luck charm for the
new year to come.Finland
Finland shares some of its Scandinavian Christmas traditions with its neighbor Sweden, such as the celebration of St. Lucia's Day, but has many of its own holiday traditions as well.On Christmas Eve most Finns who celebrate Christmas attend mass and pay a visit to a sauna to get purified. Many Finnish families also visit cemeteries to remember their lost loved ones.
Between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Christmas Eve, Christmas dinner is usually served. The feast may include oven-baked ham, rutabaga casserole, beetroot salad, and similar Scandinavian holiday foods. Santa Claus usually visits most houses on Christmas Eve to give presents—at least to those who have been good.
Christmas in Finland is not just a one or two-day affair. Finns start wishing each other Hyvää Joulua, or "Merry Christmas," weeks before Christmas Day and continue to do so for nearly two weeks after the official holiday.
Iceland
The Icelandic Christmas season lasts 26 days. It's during the darkest time of year for that part of the world with not much daylight at all, but the Northern Lights may be visible in the far north of the country.Iceland has many age-old traditions during Christmastime, including the arrival of 13 Icelandic Santa Clauses. The origin of these Santas is centuries old, and each has a name, character, and role.
Known as jolasveinar, or the "Yuletide Lads," the Santas are the children of Gryla, a mean old woman who drags off naughty children and supposedly boils them alive. Her husband, Leppaluoi, is not quite as mean. In the modern era, these characters have been softened a bit to be less frightening.
Children in Iceland put shoes in their windows from Dec. 12 until Christmas Eve. If they have been good, one of the jolasveinar leaves a gift. Bad children can expect to receive a potato.
Shops are open until 11:30 p.m. on Christmas Eve and many Icelanders attend midnight mass. The main Christmas celebration takes place on Christmas Eve, including the gift exchange. To say, "Merry Christmas," in Icelandic is Gleoileg jol.
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