Holiday preparations and daily demands have kept me from blogging in the past month and those demands continue so I don't expect to resume until the new year. In the meantime I thought I would provide some links to websites with information about Norwegian holiday traditions. Our Norwegian ancestors most likely celebrated many a "white Christmas" living first in a mountain valley in Norway and later in Wisconsin, Iowa, and the Dakotas. Although the geography of the mid-western American states is vastly different than that of the Hallingdal region of Norway, cold winters were common to both locations, so our Norwegian ancestors would have found the wintry holiday season familar.
In the late afternoon of Christmas Eve, the Knudson's may have been able to hear the church bells peel to announce the holdiay. Most likely, they gathered with family to celebrate. Kari would have prepared traditional porridge for her family. Knud, Sever, Kristina, Barbra, et al, would have hoped to receive the lucky serving of porridge containing an almond. Lutefisk, pork, cabbage, Julekake and at least seven kinds of cookies were also likely to have been a part of the Christmas menu. And Sevat and the other adults may have enjoyed some Juleol on the special occasion. Perhaps Kari and Sevat told their children stories of the Nisse who protected Stake gard in Gol where some of their family still lived. Whether the children left something for the Jul Nisse or, like their non-Norwegian neighbors, anxiously waited for Santa Claus to fill their stockings, they would have been excited by the magic of the season. But a larger part of their celebration would have included reading Bible passages (in Norwegian) and attending church services at the local Lutheran church. And, in Gol, the family who remained may have been reading the same passages and singing the same hymns and wishing God Jul to each other and to their loved ones across the Atlantic in America.
On behalf of Sevat, Kari and all our ancestors I wish you God Jul! And, if you want to play it safe, leave something for the Jul Nisse next to the cookies you leave for Santa this week.
In the late afternoon of Christmas Eve, the Knudson's may have been able to hear the church bells peel to announce the holdiay. Most likely, they gathered with family to celebrate. Kari would have prepared traditional porridge for her family. Knud, Sever, Kristina, Barbra, et al, would have hoped to receive the lucky serving of porridge containing an almond. Lutefisk, pork, cabbage, Julekake and at least seven kinds of cookies were also likely to have been a part of the Christmas menu. And Sevat and the other adults may have enjoyed some Juleol on the special occasion. Perhaps Kari and Sevat told their children stories of the Nisse who protected Stake gard in Gol where some of their family still lived. Whether the children left something for the Jul Nisse or, like their non-Norwegian neighbors, anxiously waited for Santa Claus to fill their stockings, they would have been excited by the magic of the season. But a larger part of their celebration would have included reading Bible passages (in Norwegian) and attending church services at the local Lutheran church. And, in Gol, the family who remained may have been reading the same passages and singing the same hymns and wishing God Jul to each other and to their loved ones across the Atlantic in America.
On behalf of Sevat, Kari and all our ancestors I wish you God Jul! And, if you want to play it safe, leave something for the Jul Nisse next to the cookies you leave for Santa this week.
http://www.californiamall.com/holidaytraditions/traditions-Norway.htm
http://www.cyberclip.com/Katrine/NorwayInfo/Articles/Christmas.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Claus
http://www.parentdish.com/2004/12/17/holiday-tradition-faq-great-family-traditions-from-around-the/
http://www.cyberclip.com/Katrine/NorwayInfo/Articles/Christmas.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Claus
http://www.parentdish.com/2004/12/17/holiday-tradition-faq-great-family-traditions-from-around-the/
