Dear friends,
Less than a week to go - the frenetic pace of Christmas is felt here too - everyone is scurrying from one place to another glancing frantically down at the list that seems to go on forever - things to do, places to visit, gifts to buy.
Everyone has something to sell for less than the next guy and pressures sometimes bring out the worst in people here, too.
But Christmas in Norway is different. Traditions are old and meant to be cherished - this is not a melting pot - Norwegians are definitely purists. Many of the things my parents did when my brother Greg and I were children, I attributed to them. After having lived in Norway for over two years, I realize it's just Norway and I unabashedly admit to loving the traditions here.
The first thing that continues to strike me is the need to make the dark nights light. There are Christmas trees erected all over Oslo - tall ones - and covered only in white lights - coloured lights have not arrived. Once again, our family's Christmas tree never had coloured lights - only white or clear ones and now I know why.
Every home has lights in their windows - a type of advent candelabra. Storekeepers, pub owners, light fakellys outside their doors not only to attract customers but to add light to a dark night. These are simply tin boxes in various sizes but always wider than they are tall, filled with paraffin wax and with a large, square wick in the middle. The good ones burn for six to seven hours and nothing - rain, sleet or snow -- puts them out.
Office lobbies all over town, including hotels, respect advent with the Advent spruce crown, complete with the four purple candles in it. They burn in reception areas, convenience stores, garages, and service stations. With 90 percent of Norway's population being Lutheran, the Christian aspects of Christmas seem to be given more importance. I'm not sure that people really know why they do what they do but do it, they do.
Although Christmas has become commercial here too, it is nowhere near what it is in North America. Whether people do it out of habit or a sense of responsibility or just simply belief, the Christ child still has center stage here. Music and choirs abound. Next to the Embassy is a Bible School of sorts and for the past month, when the kids go out for a food or smoke break, they can easily burst into a four part Christmas carol.
The other day at the T-Banen (metro) three very gifted young women spent their time waiting for the bane by keeping travellers on both sides of the track entertained by singing Christmas music in three parts.
My daughter Meredith attends a Steiner School and for the first time since we arrived in Norway, I felt I could become involved in her school life. Most schools and organizations have something called the yearly Julemarket - the Christmas market. I became class rep in charge of the kitchen with another parent, Nina. I had no idea what to expect but the result was incredible.
The theme this year was the Middle Ages so outside the school were booths where children could make wooden swords and medieval clothing, could buy food from years gone by, could make candles and things.
:
Inside the school was a culture cafe, a gemologist, face painting, storytelling, and on it went. Interspersed throughout were concerts by the various school choirs, strings orchestras, and the like. It was absolutely incredible and with 600 children in the school, it meant at least 600 parents were involved.
Each class had a responsibility - in Meredith's it was the kitchen and restaurant. Just as every bazaar in the Townships is a fundraiser, so is this - we made almost $60,000 in just two days but with an incredible amount of planning and involvement.
Christmas flowers are not limited to poinsettias here - called Julestjerne or Chrisms star - we have Christmas cactus, begonia, azalea, tulips and so on. There are fresh flowers in everyone's home, in every office reception area, in every store and even at railway stations and bus stops. I 'm certain it has something to do with adding light, colour to the darkness but flowers are everywhere.
I remember when we first moved here I thought that surely every second flower shop would go bankrupt - one on every street corner - but then I found out that Norwegians buy more plants and flowers per capita than anywhere else in the world.
Just now we have no snow in Oslo - not measurable anyway. However, with a 20-minute tram ride, up some 500 metres, people have been skiing cross-country and alpine for weeks now. And for those of us who work, there are kilometres of lit trails so we don't feel left out.
There are skating rinks in every little community and they are huge - most many times the size of Canada's average rink - and many are simply carved out of nature - someone and I don't know who - sprays all kinds of places and kids skate.
On Christmas Eve, every church in the country rings their church bells starting at four in the afternoon and then Christmas has officially begun. Most have been to church and receive family and friends with coffee, cookies (if you 're average, seven kinds - if your super - 12 kinds), and liquor. Gifts are opened and everyone, yes, dances around the Christmas tree and sings Christmas songs. It is absolutely lovely.
And then, the Christmas meal - almost entirely based on pork - meatballs, pork roast, Norwegian sauerkraut with caraway, potatoes. Then desert and the party begins - out comes the aquavit and people party well into the night.
I love Christmas here - not because it is better, just because it is different. And just so you don't think I've forgotten Canada's wonderful traditions, for the third time this year, a whole section of my mother's family comes to us for turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, and mashed, eggnog (made from scratch) - the whole thing and they love it too.
So, it would seem that Meredith and I have the best of all worlds - only thing missing is Luke and Rachel - my two big kids. We continue to celebrate Christmas with tradition, with love,and with energy and wish all of you and yours the best for the years to come. Berit Lundh, formerly from Quebec's Eastern Townships, currently lives in Norway.
© 1998 Berit Lundh/Log Cabin Chronicles/12.98 |