The opening weekend of the ski season

The first weekends of December will see the majority of ski resorts in Norway open their doors to winter sports fanatics. Some resorts, like Geilo, decided to open at the end of November- but other resorts, like Hemsedal, will open at the first weekend of December. 

If you are considering upgrading your gear or splashing out on a pre-Christmas treat, the opening weekend might be your best bet. 

The biggest resorts will hold brand test weekends. Various manufacturers will be present and allow skiers to test out all kinds of equipment for free. 

For those hoping to hit the slopes on a tighter budget, we’ve put together a guide on how to save cash on winter sports. 

Christmas markets 

By the opening weekend of December, all the country’s Christmas markets will be up and running for those looking to get in the festive mood, buy a handmade gift, or snack on some tasty treats. 

Here, you can get an overview of some of the best dotted around Norway. 

Our pick for Oslo residents would be the Norwegian Museum of Cultural History’s annual Christmas fair. This event is spread across the first two weekends in December, and in addition to the market, there will be folk dances, sleigh rides and all the usual exhibitions on offer. 

World Cup 2022 events 

This year’s tournament, much maligned for the decision to hold it in Qatar, will run throughout December. 

During this period, bars across Norway, at least the ones not boycotting it, will be holding events where fans may need to book tables to see a game. 

If your home nation, or adopted team, make a run deep into the tournament, booking a table may be a great way to cheer on your team with others. 

Torshov Advent Calendar 

Residents in Torshov, east Oslo, will be putting together an advent calendar with a twist every night in the run-up to Christmas. 

As part of the performance, there will be a new cultural performance, be that carols, live music, and recreations of famous scenes from Norwegian Christmas classics like ‘Tre nøtter til Askepott’ from a different resident’s window each night. 

You might not need to see each and every performance, but it’ll definitely be worth heading along to watch a couple. 

Interested? You can learn more here. 

Christmas shows

Similar to pantos in England, Christmas shows are a big tradition in Norway. There will be more than one to choose from, with some touring all over the countries- while some will play select dates in a specific region, such as the south-east- 

Juleshow 2022 will travel the country this year, making stops in most of Norway’s big towns. 

All of these shows will be in Norwegian, so these events are more catered towards those who are fully up to speed with the language. 

The world’s largest gingerbread town 

Gingerbread towns can be found all over Norway in December, but the one that takes the cake (sorry), is Bergen’s gingerbread town. 

Now in its 31st year, the edible town in Bergen is the world’s largest. Pepperkakebyen is essentially the gingerbread equivalent of Miniatur Wunderland in Hamburg. 

It features plenty of tiny gingerbread homes, local landmarks, trains, cars, boats and replicas of famous buildings from across the world. Profits generated by the gingerbread town are donated to an organisation that helps children in need. 

Christmas and New Years

The perfect time to embrace new traditions and learn about Norway’s culture is Christmas and New Year’s. Norwegians celebrate Christmas on Christmas Eve (December 24th). There are plenty of traditions to try, whether hunting for marzipan in porridge or enjoying typical Norwegian festive delicacies. 

In addition, your social calendar may be filled with traditions such as your work’s julebord. If you are just visiting or don’t fancy the hassle of cooking- here is a list of restaurants in Oslo with festive menus.