In a nation obsessed with dieting, the store shelves have been pretty much stripped clean of butter for over a month. The reason is not what you may expect.

This year I was on a mission to see the difference between julekake… …and julebrød. In past years they seemed to be the same to me but I never had them both at the same time to make a proper claim.  So, this year I bought both a julekake and a julebrød together. And the [...]

Nisse parties happen in many kindergartens, primary schools, church and community groups in Norway.  They are a casual celebration of the julenisse (Christmas elf) tradition especially for children (but the big kids love them too).

Coming in on the barge to Lyngen I had to double-take – is that Nisse?  He looks quite at home in the Arctic snow.  I would have thought it was the juletid season if I didn’t know it was three months after Christmas.  The difference between Christmas and Spring is that the sun has returned [...]