Christmas in Norway: Past and Present - 1970

Christmas in Norway: Past and Present - 8203159532

Vera Henriksen, Christmas in Norway, Past and Present, © 1970, 1988 Mesna-Trykk A/S, Lillehammer, Norge, Soft Cover, 63 Pages, ISBN-10: 82-03-15953-2; ISBN-13: 9780800207144

Synopsis

Christmas in Norway: Past and Present is part of the Tanum's tokens of Norway Series. The reader will gain a glimpse of how the various threads of tradition, both new and ancient. It covers the rituals of paganism as well as Christianity that are woven together to form our many-hued tapestry of customs and rituals.

From the Author

To people in many parts of the world, Christmas is associated with snow and ice; this also goes for places where the climate certainly does not call for such an association. And Santa Claus with his reindeer, that symbol of the season, supposedly has his abode at the North Pole.

This has somehow given Norway the reputation of being a Christmas country; possibly the winter climate accounts for it, maybe the name also. Anyhow, a byproduct of this Christmas lore is that every year at Christmas time a number of letters addressed to Santa Claus, Norway, arrive in this country.

And, incidentally, the Oslo tourist office secs to it that each sender gets a reply.

It seems logical, then, to give foreign readers an account of Christmas in Norway, of how it is celebrated and of the background of our Christmas traditions.

Maybe the reader will also, in looking into these matters, gain a glimpse of the way our mutual human heritage of traditions has grown and developed; of how the various threads of tradition, new and ancient, pagan as well as Christian even in a Christian feast, are woven together to form our many-hued tapestry of customs and rituals.

Contents:

Chapter I: Christ-mass and pagan Yule

Chapter II:

  • The Ancient Tradition
  • The “Jol” of the Vikings
  • The Night of St. Lucy and the Day of St. Thomas; a Preview and a Beginning
  • On a Bed of Straw
  • Of Straw Men and Straw Magic
  • To Bake a Cake —
  • The Banquet of the Ghosts
  • The Ride of St. Stephen
  • Yule Pageants; of Goats and Christmas Stars
  • Fun and Games
  • Yule Fire and Yule Candles
  • Of Yule Omens
  • Out Goes the Yule!

Chapter Ill:

  • Norwegian Christmas today
  • Some New Traditions
  • Christmas in the Country
  • Christmas in the City
  • Norwegian Christmas Fare; a few Recipes

Library of Congress Catalog Listing

LC control no.: 75584137
Type of material: Book (Print, Microform, Electronic, etc.)
Personal name: Henriksen, Vera, 1927-
Main title: Christmas in Norway. Past and present.
Published/Created: Oslo, Tanum, 1970.
Description: 62 p. illus. 21 cm.
Subjects: Christmas --Norway.
Series: Tanum’s tokens of Norway
LC classification: GT4987.59 .H4
Dewey class no.: 394.268282/09481
National bib no.: N71-1
Geographic area code: e-no---
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