Advent is an important word in the celebration of Christmas in Norway. In a few days, December 1^st, is the first Sunday in Advent. The last four Sundays before Christmas Eve are first, second third and fourth Sunday in Advent. If Christmas Eve is on a Sunday, it will also be the fourth Sunday of Advent. So what is Advent? It is a period that marks the waiting time until Christmas. It is the season in the Church calendar waiting for the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, the Messiah and King.

It is the start of the Lutheran liturgical year, and it is a period of fasting. In Norway we have candlesticks which hold four candles, it is customary to light a new one every week, until all four candles are lit on the 4^th Sunday. These candles are traditionally purple. On Christmas Eve, they are changed to candles in red or white. In other countries in Europe, the customs are different. Some Catholics have three purple candles and one pink.

Another custom is the adventkalender (advent calendar), which could be a simple one containing a piece of chocolate for each day; or a more elaborate home-made one with a small gift for each of the 24 days in Advent, wrapped in gift paper. The gift can be a chocolate bar, chewing gum or another sweet, a comic magazine, hair clips, pencils or crayons or many other small items. Many thirty-year olds will receive a pair of socks or some other useful gift, be it perfume or make-up or beer. For them too, a gift for each of the 24 days.

In Norway, soft drinks or special beer is made for Christmas, they are called Julebrus and Juleøl. Jul (Yule) is the word for winter solstice and was celebrated before Christianity. One food store in Oslo offers a choice of more than 70 Christmas sodas. There is often demand for one’s local brand or a special brand, there are traditions in most families, where the color of the soft drink is also important. Juleøl is also in many varieties, both in strength (the amount of alcohol) and color. For both Julebrus and Juleøl there are reviews in the newspapers comparing them.

Adventskonserter (concerts in Advent) have steadily become more popular. They are often held in a church and the songs are Christmas classics, both psalms and more classic songs. The best artists make up a special program and sometimes two or three popular artists cooperate and tour Norway.

Electricity has been cheap in Norway and it is dark at Christmas time, so we like to have extra lights outside. It might be light chains on railings or on a tree in the garden. Some people compete to have the most Christmassy house. And people go by car to see them. In my neighborhood there is an old traditional house where they put up lights representing the date, so they are changed every day.  In the window we have an “adventslys” which can be seen from the outside. It is in the shape of a star and is therefore also called an Adventstjerne.

Another custom is julegrantenning (turning on the lights on the Christmas spruce), which is mostly done on the first Sunday of Advent in public areas.

This is only a glimpse into a Norwegian Christmas. It is a period of preparation, a period of the year when it is at its coldest and darkest, so meaningful activity makes life easier.

The stamps were designed by Ragnar Aalbu, an illustrator and children’s author from Oppdal.

If you need some guidance in researching your Norwegian family history, read our book Exploring Norwegian Genealogy. Read more about it here. It is also an ideal Christmas gift for your friends and relatives who have Norwegian ancestry!