E: Happy birthday Jesus!

Christmas came on time this year too. This fall has been the warmest in Europe in 500 years and the warmest winter in this country since they officially began measuring
the temperatures over 100 years ago. Still, the snow made it for the north of Norway, two days before the big night.

In Norway the day was Christmas eve, like every year. For season holidays like these, habit is anything but bad. To see and be with the family again is rewarding in its very bonding and comforting way. In my family we get up fairly early to snooze in front of the telly with childrens TV and candy. Around noon we eat porridge – the only time a year as a breakfast dish (normally Saturday dinner). We add an almond in the pot, and whoever gets it, will get a little reward, traditonally a marsipan pig.

By 3 pm we are nicely dressed and head up for church. The Christmas service last only one hour, from 4 pm, giving us time to visit my grandparents’ grave. At 5 pm the service is over, and the church bells rings continoulsy for a long time (officially for an hour). Christmas has officially begun.

The difference this year is that I had a Malaysian girlfriend by my side. It has been really interesting to have Darsh(ini) in my home town, with my family, in my house, alongside all the traditions and settings I have encountered throughout my life. She has been a really good sport, meeting heaps of people, dealing with the vintry snow and the lack of sunlight. She gets along really well with my family and acts as a member with her willingness to be joyous, eat and help out.

Family dinner was salted muttons (norwegian: pinnekjøtt). My brother celebrates with his wife this year, while we got my sister’s fiancé “in exchange”. Christmas time is much about meals, a bit about eating, but mostly about the fellowship.

From around 8 pm onwards we unwrapped presents. Also Darsh had been given a fair share parcels, mainly containging clothing and artifacts made in Norway. Personally I like giving over receiving, especially as I feel I (and most people in the West) have more than enough as it is, but still were thrilled with many of the great gifts on which people had put my name tag. Examples are some of the books I got; “Promoting the Gospel”, “1001 movies to see before you die” and “Broken English spoken perfectly.” The coolest one may be a belt with DRE written on the buckle.


Most important is a concept I got from some and gave to a few; “gifts that change the world”. This specific Norwegian idea, is an example of charity where instead of an artifiact, the receipent gets a card stating that the money is put to give hope and future to people with less then us – through things like chickens, goats, sport equipment or water pumps.

Today, Christmas day, is more a time to chill and the only time of year we are “grounded”. One picturesque event was Darsh’ first creation of snowmen (and snowballs). After coming here she has also seen proper snow and seen it snowing for the first time in her life. We are enjoying time together so much that you will not be getting more frequent updates than the current flow – as long as she is here at least.

We return to Oslo January third. Before then we will be with more people and family of mine, go out, go snomobiling, go to the city of Tromsø for New Year’s Eve – among other things.

Enjoy the season, preserve and nurture your relationships with each other – just the way God wants it.

In Norwegian, Merry Christmas is "God jul". Underneath is a marsipan cake decorated by the lovely Darsh, for you to absorb and us to eat ;)