Christmas the Norwegian Way

Category: Ramblings | Posted: Thu Dec 24, 2009 11:01 pm

Us Norwegians celebrate Christmas Eve. The church bells toll at 17.00 which marks the beginning of the celebration. We seat ourselves at the table and start to dig in. Here's what we usually eat:

Rutabega mash, white sauerkraut and pork ribs with the crispy side up:

Sheep rips, steamed on top of birch twigs, spicy pork sausages and potatoes:

Red sauerkraut and fat rendered from the pan where the sheep's ribs were steaming:

For afters we had rice porridge cream and red sauce with an almond hidden in it. I never managed to photograph it since the bowl was nearly empty when it reached me. Whoever gets the almond wins a marzipan pig.

Then it's off to open the presents. This year we had so many presents they didn't fit under the tree:

We piled them high all around the tree:

I'll spare you the images of the carnage after having opened the presents. But the face of Lord says it all:

"Can't understand what all this is about, really!"

In between opening presents we fortify ourselves with coffee and cookies, of course. Can't risk going hungry, can we?

Tomorrow it's boiled halibut with sour cream sauce, potatoes and cucumber salad with lemon-and-sugar dressing, with cloudberry cream and special cookies for dessert.

I'm looking forward to that, and will probably have to be rolled into bed.

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Tammyd wrote on Thu Dec 24, 2009 11:29 pm:

I love reading and learning about the Norwegian traditions, and seeing all of your lovely pics. That menu sounds very interesting, especially the sheep's ribs steamed on birch twigs. Looks like a lovely holiday for you and yours. Thank you for sharing.

Sjoerd wrote on Fri Dec 25, 2009 12:03 am:

This is great, Driipy. this presentation was really done well and gives a clear idea of how you folks up there celebrate christmas eve. I enjoyed seeing all that delightful food. The sausage and meat platter made me reach for a napkin. ;)

The christmas tree with all the packies underneith looked cozy. That rug over to the left looks like a kilim. The colours look quite nice.
Thanks for showing this--it's always very intereswting to see a bit more of your culture.

daisybeans wrote on Fri Dec 25, 2009 12:34 am:

Oh Droopy... what a gorgeous feast... it all looks amazing. I'll bet everyone's eyes are shining just looking at it all. I just love it when you put these posts together -- you do such a great job. It all looks so festive!!!

daisybeans wrote on Fri Dec 25, 2009 12:36 am:

P.S. That first pic with the Rutabagas (my favorite veggie, btw), pork ribs and sauerkraut? My mouth is watering.... I have one word -- YUM!

Droopy wrote on Fri Dec 25, 2009 7:38 am:

Thank you all. I'm a bit tired this morning. We were nine people yesterday, and the four children were everywhere at once. :D Fortunately Christmas Day is for relaxing only.

kaseylib wrote on Sat Dec 26, 2009 8:51 pm:

Great comfort food! Looks like you had a wonderful Christmas. My in-laws just left, and I'm planning on some R&R for the rest of the weekend!

glendann wrote on Mon Dec 28, 2009 10:20 pm:

I would for sure make a pig out of myself on Rutabega mash, white sauerkraut and pork ribs with the crispy side up .Give me some corn bread and I would eat for ever.

glendann wrote on Mon Dec 28, 2009 10:24 pm:

I was so over come by the food I forgot all the other your tree is just beautiful and I could watch your kitty as he is so pretty.Your home is so nice.

Droopy wrote on Tue Dec 29, 2009 7:53 am:

Thank you both. Wish I could have served you a taste. That would have been nice! :D

gfreiherr wrote on Wed Dec 30, 2009 1:48 pm:

Enjoyed reading about your Christmas celebration. We celebrate on Christmas Eve with the Norwegian side of my family. My grandmother always had fish pudding & rice grut with the almond and rasberry sauce. Whoever got the almonds got a little gift.

Droopy wrote on Wed Dec 30, 2009 10:31 pm:

That's so nice to read. :D There are more Norwegians in the US than in Norway.

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