by Wendy Andersen

Created on: October 31, 2009

Scandinavia encompasses several countries: Sweden, Norway and Denmark. Yule, or Christmas is celebrated in much the same way as in America and Europe. It is a time to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Santa Claus or "julenissen" in Norwegian, "juletomten" in Swedish and "julemanden" in Danish is acknowledged by all. Like the rest of Europe Christmas cards are sent to friends and family.

Along with the traditional Christmas stories there are tales of a gnome (fjsnisse) living in the cowshed or barn. Each Christmas food and drink is put out for him. Children have a song about this little creature. Denmark's Hans Christian Andersen wrote "The Little Matchstick Seller", a sad story about a poor little girl trying to sell her matchsticks on New Year's Eve. There are many more songs and stories dedicated to Christmas.

One popular tradition for the children is the use of an Advent calendar which counts down the days to Christmas Eve or "julaften". Each day a small gift is revealed. During Advent purple candles are lit each Sunday, starting with one the first Sunday and increasing each Sunday after until four candles are lit. This tradition came to Norway from Germany.

Around Advent baking begins. Homemade biscuits are popular, and it has been a tradition to bake seven different types. There are many recipes to choose from.

The Swedish celebrate St. Lucia, which is held on the 13th December the darkest night of the year. A child is usually dressed in a white robe with a crown of lights, a procession of children follow carrying candles and singing. Special buns "lussekatter" are baked containing saffron.

A freshly cut Christmas tree is traditional in most homes. These can be bought ready cut, or bought on the root and you choose and cut the tree yourself at farms.

On the 23 December (Lille julaften) it has been the tradition to decorate the Christmas tree. The day is spent cleaning and preparing for Christmas Eve. Presents are given on the 24th December. Some prefer to place presents under the tree, while others keep them hidden. A member of the family or a neighbor will dress up as Santa and deliver a sack of presents after dinner has finished.

Attending church services at Christmas to celebrate the birth of Jesus is a tradition for many. A midnight mass is held on the 24th December, others attend service on the 25th.

Traditional Christmas fare varies in each of the countries. The traditional Christmas dinner depends on the area you live within each country. Although

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