Norway Travel Guide by Rick Steves For coronavirus (COVID-19) travel information, see our FAQ . A common theme across cultures is a legendary gift giver - not always fat and jolly — who kids butter up with treats. In writing the script for the special, I had to choose which countries would “make the cut.” I could fit only seven into the mix. Food "Rick Steve's European Christmas" is a very captivating dvd to watch. Just up the fjord, Norway's capital, Oslo, celebrates Christmas with a more urban charm. Christmas in Norway, especially since the advent of electricity, is a festival of light — a promise of longer days and the return of the sun. A highlight for our crew was filming the Midnight Mass at the Vatican on Christmas Eve in 2004 — which happened to be Pope John Paul II’s last Christmas. And while Norway awaits the return of the sun, further south, Paris creates its own light. Storyline Join Rick Steves for a colorful, musical celebration of Christmas across Europe. These mischievous elves-from-the-forest visit each Christmas not on reindeer… but with a horse, pig and mouse entourage… and a bag of gifts. Rick Steves’ European Christmas – Monday, December 7 at 9:30 pm. Here in small-town Norway, Christmas is celebrated with a unique intimacy and a Scandinavian flair for community. Buy the video-book-music gift set. Christmas in Oslo feels low key. Norwegians celebrate St. Lucia Day on December 13, when candle-bearing girls bring light to church concerts, and candles flicker in cemeteries to remember loved ones. More info about travel to Europe: https://www.ricksteves.com/europe Christmas Eve is finally here. These processions are led by a young Lucia wearing a crown of lights. If the ceremony is in a village church, the finale of the service is not Silent Night but Santa Lucia — the same song popular in Italy but with Norwegian lyrics. Being Norwegian, I admit that I was biased…and Norway was destined to make the cut. ©2021 Rick Steves' Europe, Inc. | Children set out food for gift-bearing elves. Merry Christmas! Here, in the heart of the old town near the magnificent medieval Abbey, Bath hosts an annual Christmas Market. Rick Steves' European Christmas DVD provides a vivid and authentic portrait of how Europeans celebrate the holiday from England to Norway, Burgundy to Bavaria, and Rome to the top of the Swiss Alps. We're in Drobak, about an hour south of Oslo. The TV Special: Experience Christmas with Rick Steves in England, Norway, France, Italy, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland! see our FAQ. … The child who discovers it wins a… marzipan pig. Religion Lucia was a fourth-century Sicilian saint who (legend says) helped pe… To celebrate the season, I’m sharing clips, extras, and behind-the-scenes notes from Rick Steves’ European Christmas. Watch the entire hour-long European Christmas special. Being Norwegian, I admit that I was biased…and Norway was destined to make the cut. Festive Fun: Rick and his crew experienced 12 carol concerts, 11 mugs of Glühwein, 10 living mangers, 9 happy families, 8 Christmas feasts, 7 Euro-cultures, 6 mistletoe kisses, 5 alternative Santas, 4 pounds of weight gain, 3 midnight Masses, 2 exhausted cameramen, and a very merry Christmas for one and all (go ahead, sing it)! For coronavirus (COVID-19) travel information, From Norway to Rome...we're celebrating Christmas all over the Continent. Join Rick Steves for a colorful, musical celebration of Christmas across Europe. Join Rick Steves for a colorful, musical celebration of Christmas across Europe. And Europeans don't wrap things up on December 25th. Available on DVD, you get the beautifully filmed, hour-long "Rick Steves' European Christmas" PBS-TV special — plus 45 minutes of content you won't find in the TV version, including full-length choir performances, Pope John Paul II's last midnight Christmas Mass, interview … And as the congregation follows the Santa Lucias out — more light of Christmas spills into this little fjord-side community. (6½ min) Watch the entire hour-long European Christmas special. Fixed iFrame Width: in pixels px Height: in pixels px. Every good child knows the Julenisse is coming with an exciting reward. Christmas Then comes the Feast of St. Nicholas is on December 6th, Santa Lucia day is on the 13th. As they sing, the children's choir with their leader wearing her crown of candles processes down the aisle and into the night, as if to spread light to the needy community. For scenes straight out of a box of old-fashioned Christmas cards, we head to England — to the city of Bath. All over Europe, people are celebrating in their own unique ways. In writing the script for the special, I had to choose which countries would “make the cut.” I could fit only seven into the mix. All three for just $20 in our Travel Store! To celebrate the season, I’m sharing clips, extras and behind-the-scenes notes from Rick Steves’ European Christmas. From England to Norway, Burgundy to Bavaria, Rome to the top of the Swiss Alps, locals brimming with holiday cheer celebrate Christmas in seven European countries, including a very memorable Christmas Eve Mass at St. Peter's in Rome. Get inspired with Rick Steves’ recommended places to go and things to do, with tips, photos, videos, and travel information on Norway. In the special, Rick visits friends and families in England, France, Norway, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy to reveal their customs and practices of the holiday season. Candles flicker in grave yards as families remember lost loved ones. The Norwegian spirit of Christmas extends even to the departed. ... Rick Steves' Europe. Here's a holiday slice of Norway from Rick's European Christmas TV special. The old Aker church, which dates back to the 12th century, hosts the Norwegian Girls Choir for an Advent concert. All over Nordic Europe, little candle-bearing Santa Lucias are bringing light to the middle of winter and the promise of the return of summer. Watch the full episode without commentary: European Christmas Posted on: Friday, ... Norway, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy to reveal … For a little extra holiday cheer, join Rick for a colorful, musical celebration of Christmas across Europe. In Scandinavia, it's associated with the Viking goddess of love. From England to Wales, France, Norway, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Italy, you'll see the bright Christmas markets, hear local choirs, share holiday traditions with families…and even play in the snow. From England to Wales, France, Norway, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Italy, you'll see the bright Christmas markets, hear local choirs, share holiday traditions with families…and even play in the snow. In writing the script for the special, I had to choose which countries would “make the cut.” I could fit only seven into the mix. Today is one of the darkest days of winter — and an important part of the Scandinavian Christmas season: Santa Lucia Day. Join Rick Steves for a colorful, musical celebration of Christmas across Europe. For most of us, it's just a handy excuse to steal a little Christmas kiss. This home has housed widows and seniors for over 200 years and today the kindergarteners are bringing on the light in more ways than one. Streets are decorated, locals not ready to rely on the Julenisse are out shopping, and good cheer is abundant …. Taking their cue from Santa Lucia, Norwegians — cozy in their homes — brighten their long dark winters with lots of candles, white lights — you'll never see a colored one — and lots of greenery. While its Norway's self-proclaimed capital of Christmas, Drobak feels like any idyllic town on a fjord. (6½ min). In the special, Rick visits friends and families in England, France, Norway, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy to reveal their customs and practices of the holiday season. In Norway, as in the rest of Europe, pagan symbols - like the evergreen tree - survive disguised as Christmas traditions. Rick Steves' European Christmas gives viewers a look at sacred, intimate family Christmas traditions. Here in Norway, families treat children to a rice porridge… and it comes with a hidden almond…. To celebrate the season, I’m sharing clips, extras and behind-the-scenes notes from Rick Steves’ European Christmas. The same is true with this sprig of mistletoe. Filming Christmas in Europe: The story behind the special As they sing, the children's choir with their leader wearing her crown of candles processes down the aisle and into the night, as if to spread light to the needy community. To celebrate the season, I’m sharing clips, extras and behind-the-scenes notes from Rick Steves’ European Christmas. Included are 14 complete live concert performances of music. From England to Wales, France, Norway, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy, you'll see the bright Christmas markets, hear local choirs, share holiday traditions with families...and even play in the snow. Published by: Gabe (Rick Steves' Europe) To learn more about European Christmas celebrations and how many contemporary Christmas traditions came to be, please join Rick in an exploration of Christmas in Europe by following along with this playlist. Join Rick Steves for a colorful, musical celebration of Christmas across Europe. keywords Norwegians need a boost during those weeks when high noon feels like twilight and it’s dark by 4 p.m. A high-“light” of the season is December 13, the feast day of Santa Lucia, the “Queen of Lights” — a tradition which started in Sweden. Join Rick Steves for a colorful, musical celebration of Christmas across Europe. To celebrate the season, I’m sharing clips, extras and behind-the-scenes notes from Rick Steves’ European Christmas. It's streaming, on demand, for free! From manger scenes and mistletoe to wintry wonderlands, RICK STEVES’ EUROPEAN CHRISTMAS celebrates the Christmas season throughout the European continent. Terms of Service | Privacy. Buy your Rick Steves' European Christmas Book: Quantity: Add To Cart What's Included. And holiday desserts are a big part of Norway's Christmas season: the local Christmas fruitcake called Julekaca and a towering marzipan krenzikaka. It's Santa Lucia Day… December 13th — one of the darkest days of winter — and an important part of the Scandinavian Christmas season. The children have baked the traditional Santa Lucia saffron buns - the same ones these seniors baked when they were kindergarteners. Norway. All over Nordic Europe little candle bearing Santa Lucias are bringing light to the middle of winter and the promise of the return of summer. The custom goes back to Shakespeare's day. He begins his travels in England, where the It's reminiscent of the old days when a peasant family's wealth was tied up in its precious pig. From England to Wales, France, Norway, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Italy, you'll see the bright Christmas markets, hear local choirs, share holiday traditions with families, and even play in the snow. This colorful companion book to the "Rick Steves' European Christmas" TV special takes you on a wintertime wander among local holiday celebrations in England, Norway, France, Germany, Austria, Italy, and Switzerland. And all over Norway, communities gather together in churches just like this as choirs cap Santa Lucia day with a concert. Being Norwegian, I admit that I was biased…and Norway was destined to make the cut. The same is true with this sprig of mistletoe. European Christmas. Seasonal treats are saffron buns, rice porridge, and marzipan cake. In Scandinavia, it's associated with the Viking goddess of love. From England to Wales, France, Norway, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Italy, you'll see the bright Christmas markets, hear local choirs, share holiday traditions with families…and even play in the snow. It's streaming, on demand, for free! In comes a procession of girls, led by a young girl dressed as Saint Lucy (the Lussibrud, or Lucy bride), with a white robe, a crown of lights on her head, and a candle in her hand. In Norway, a dozen days before Christmas, Santa Lucia Day is celebrated in family gatherings, churches, schools, day-care centers, nursing homes, and hospitals. Monday, December 21 at 9 pm on KRCB TV in the North Bay. You'll find it best not on the streets or in the malls, but in the homes, with friends… and in music. The Christmas season in Europe stretches for well over a month - not to maximize shopping season but to fit in the season's many holy days: Advent starts four Sundays before Christmas Eve. For Celtic people, it was a sacred plant. Written by Rick Steves From manger scenes and mistletoe to wintry wonderlands, RICK STEVES' EUROPEAN CHRISTMAS celebrates the Christmas season throughout the European continent. Christmases everywhere come with special meals. Create custom playlists with more than 400 educational clips featuring the best of European history, art, culture, and experiences (plus topics beyond Europe) . Christianity Carols are a deeply ingrained part of the English Christmas tradition. Youthful voices fill the city's oldest church. Here's a holiday slice of Norway from Rick's European Christmas TV special. We'll check back with the Santa Lucias and Julenisse later. Rick Steves Classroom Europe® is a free online video library for teachers, students, and parents. Contemporary In Norway, as in the rest of Europe, pagan symbols - like the evergreen tree - survive disguised as Christmas traditions. Created by Rick Steves' Europe Staff Featured Playlist. While I grew up leaving Santa Claus milk and cookies by the fire place, the kids here leave a bowl of porridge out by the barn… for the Julenisse. 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