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).  Children dress up as little nisse (elves) with red dresses and gowns with white trimming.  It is common for children [...]

Every juletid Oslo puts on a Christmas market by the docks out front of the Oslo Town Hall.  It is mainly for tourists but I’m sure there is an Odd Norwegian around, or two. During the day the place looks like a construction site but at night the lights make it look like a fairy-tale [...]

Berg is just outside of Tromsø on the mainland.  It is a farming area and every year the community gets together and puts on an event for us city-goers.  The Nissehelg (Elf Weekend) is now a tradition and every year we go out and brave the cold (and darkness) to visit the fjøsnisser (barn elves). [...]

‘Nisse’ is a Danish Viking word.  It replaced the Norwegian nyk during Danish rule from the 1500s.  To this day a direct translation of ‘nisse’ is still ‘goblin’, ‘gnome’ or ‘pixie’. (A post about the origin of ‘nisse’ and ‘yule’ will follow soon.) Norwegians have a couple of different nisse traditions.  The considered original is [...]