Christmas Customs in Norway
"During the two weeks of this festival only the most necessary work was to be done. Implements with wheels, as wagons and the spinning-wheels, must rest. To let a wheel…
Note: This article has been excerpted from a larger work in the public domain and shared here due to its historical value. It may contain outdated ideas and language that do not reflect TOTA’s opinions and beliefs.
From When I Was a Boy in Norway, by John Oscar Hall, 1921.
The celebration of Yule was practised in the northern countries long before they accepted the Christian religion.
This heathen celebration was a feast in honor of the sun, when, in January, it seemed to renew its strength and overcome the power of darkness (by rising high enough on the firmament to spread its golden rays over the country).
During the two weeks of this festival only the most necessary work was to be done. Implements with wheels, as wagons and the spinning-wheels, must rest. To let a wheel move was a sacrilege against the holy sun, as it might indicate that they wanted the sun-wheel to move faster.
Fish, bird, and beast must have perfect peace during the two-weeks' celebration of Yule. Therefore, every trap and snare must be taken away, and even the fish-nets must be removed from the ocean and rivers.
The great Christmas peace, — resting over the whole creation — must be observed, or woe be unto the transgressor. Selma Lagerlof tells a beautiful story about a bear that was kind enough to give Christmas lodging in its winter den to a farmer, who was lost in the storm.
But when the farmer returned the next day with his gun in order to kill the bear, the bear killed the man, and even his wife thought this was a righteous punishment, because her husband had attempted to kill the bear before the Christmas festival was over.
From these twelve holy Christmas days the people took forebodings for the coming year. Every day they wrote on one of the big logs under the rafters a sign indicating the kind of weather for that day. If it were stormy the first day, the whole first month of the next year would be stormy, etc. From this they have the proverb, "If the Christmas signs do not fail."
At the end of the twelve holy days came the climax of the great festival. The days were getting longer and a huge wheel would be rolled from farm to farm.
When the Christian religion was introduced, Christmas was celebrated a couple of weeks earlier than Yule, and thenceforth heathen and Christian customs were mixed.
All Christmas preparations must be finished before St. Thomas' Day, December 21st. By that time sufficient wood had to be cut to last over the two- weeks' celebration. If this were neglected, St. Thomas would come and take away the ax. Likewise, must all baking, brewing, and butchering be ready by that day, otherwise they will have some mishap with everything. A cake was put on a shelf for St. Thomas before five o'clock Christmas Eve.
How we as children used to count the weeks, days, and finally the hours before Christmas! But when everything was in order in the house, barn, stable, and store-house, and we could put up the Christmas sheaves for the birds, then we knew the great feast was drawing nigh.
It was now a question for every one to get a bath, put on clean underwear and the best clothes, including any new garment made for Christmas. Whereupon the whole family would gather in peace and contentment and partake of the Christmas Eve dinner which usually consisted of short ribs, different kinds of bread and cake, and rice pudding. Into the rice pudding had been put one almond. The one who found this almond on his plate would be the first one to get married. Every one had to leave some pudding on his plate for the dead, who were certain to call during the night and get their share of the Christmas food. This was left on the table in great quantity and variety; but the dead do not eat like us mortals. They only want "the spirit of the food," hence when morning came everything looked as though it were untouched.
It was, however, not only the good spirits that would visit the house Christmas night. The ghostly pranks of the evil spirits consisted in going from farm to farm and taking revenge on their enemies. This wild host brought fear and trembling wherever they went, for the transgressor was put through the most cruel punishment.
Even the Christmas ram or goats must be fed. In some places they would put some barley in a shoe and place it under the bed. Most of the time they could see that he had been eating a little during the night. But if the ram did not touch it, he was offended at something and would bring bad luck during the year. At a certain farm a cow died during the spring and the lady of the house was positive that it was her husband's fault because he had neglected to feed the Christmas ram.
In the parish, Elverum, they knew just where the Christmas ram lived. He moved from place to place during the winter until Christmas Eve, when he finally managed to get under the dining-room table. The last thing before they went to bed they would sweep very carefully under the table, and the first thing in the morning on Christmas day, they would see if the ram had left any grain there. If they found some it would be a good year, providing the grain was good. If this was poor, it would be a poor crop that year; but if they did not find any, it would be crop failure.
But it is not only the supernatural beings that must be provided with extra food at Christmas. In some places they would give the domestic animals an extra meal about five o'clock Christmas Eve. In feeding them they would say, "Eat well, keep well; this is Christmas Eve.”
Then they would feed the cattle salt out of a cow-bell. This would help them next summer to come home from the pasture in the evening of their own accord.
Different prognostications were taken from grain and salt that had been placed on the hot hearth Christmas Eve.
What has been stated in this article so far are mostly antiquated customs no longer to be found; but there is one nice custom in use, not only all over Norway, but the Norwegians who have emigrated to foreign countries usually practise it in their new homes. At Christmas I have seen in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, and North Dakota sheaves of grain put upon poles out in the yard, or on top of the barn. Then I knew that Norwegians were living there.
These sheaves are the largest and best that could be selected at threshing time. They should be put up on a spruce pole on which a large tuft of branches must be left at the top. This makes a nice place where the birds can rest after their meals. The snow should also be removed from a large circle on the lawn, and on this bare spot the birds will dance between meals, and thus get up their appetites for the next repast.
When everything was finished Christmas Eve, the dishes washed and the house set in order for Christmas day, and all the old brooms had been carefully hidden in order to prevent the witches from riding them Christmas night; when for a similar purpose the fire-shovel and tongs had been put away; then the head of the household would go out to see if there were many sparrows in the Christmas sheaf. If there were many, it would be a good corn year; but if a sparrow sat down in the sheaf before all the work connected with putting it up had been finished, it was an omen that some one in the family would soon die.
On Christmas Eve, when darkness had conquered the light, then the fear of evil beings crept upon one. In order to drive away the witches and other uncanny beings, they went out in the yard and fired a shot. This has been transformed into "shooting in Christmas," or a Christmas salute. The young men go from farm to farm and sneak up close to the window while shooting, in order to make the people quake.
But they could not be offended, as such a visit was considered an honor, and the husbandman would go and invite them in for refreshments.
As it was commonly believed that the witches would be riding around in the air on their brooms that evening, the people were afraid that they might come down the chimney. In order to prevent this they would burn dry spruce, which would send out so many sparks, that it would keep away the uninvited guests, or if one put salt in the fire it would serve the same purpose.
It was not considered safe to go to bed that evening without leaving a light burning, because all evil beings were usually active on this holy night. Sometimes they made an extra large candle that would last all night, and this they left burning on the hearth with a circle of salt around it. Both the candle and the salt were consecrated.
But in most places they would burn the "Yule Log," as all evil shuns the bright light. This custom of burning the "Yule Log" was in olden times transferred from Norway into England.
Many other safety devices were resorted to on Christmas Eve. Steel had to be put over the stable and barn doors; and with a brush dipped in tar, the sign of the cross was made over the different doors.
These customs, mostly used in the rural districts, are now passing away; but of those that are still in use one might be mentioned.
They leave a light burning in the window all Christmas night as a sign that any traveler is welcome for food and shelter.
The table is set all the time during the two weeks of Christmas festivities, and visitors as well as members of the family can help themselves at any time to food and drinks.
Hall, John Oscar. When I was a Boy in Norway. Lee & Shepard Co., 1921.
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