Christmas in Norway

Innholdsfortegnelse
A Christmassy atmosphere
Lytfisck?!
Christmas Eve morning
Can anything be more boring
Almost the time

Utdrag
A Christmassy atmosphere
As soon as Christmas arrives, Norwegians go all out. They indulge in fermented fish and sheep's head, complete with the eyes and everything. Their excitement is palpable, and they simply cannot wait until the 24th to open their presents.

My plan to spend the Christmas holidays in Norway was set, but the experience was nothing like I had imagined.

Norwegians have a unique way of celebrating the holiday season, which I was fortunate enough to witness while living with a family in Nesodden.

The aroma of cinnamon, pine, and ginger wafted through the house, and Christmas decorations adorned every nook and cranny.

The Christmas tree added to the festive ambiance, and the entire house was filled with holiday cheer. Naturally,

I was curious about the food, and was taken aback when they shared their traditional Christmas meal with me.

Lytfisck?!
"Today, on the twenty-third, we have a special porridge for breakfast. It's made with sugar, butter, and cinnamon," explained the father of the family in his accented English.

"And for our Christmas Eve dinner, we have lutefisk."

I raised an eyebrow, "Lytfisck?"

He laughed, "No, lutefisk. It's cod that's been treated with lye and boiled. It's a traditional dish and quite delicious, really.

We also have pork ribs and potatoes."

I couldn't help but ask, "Do people ever just look at it instead of eating it?"

He chuckled, "No, we definitely eat it. But if it's not to your taste, you can always stick with the pork ribs."