The time before Christmas is used for baking cookies (at least 7 different types, house cleaning, family activities at the children's school and of course Christmas shopping.

Before Christmas, the children count down the days with their advent calendars. We usually have both homemade calendars with small presents and store bought calendars which contain pictures or chocolates.

On Christmas Eve, the family wakes up to a new day and does the last minute chores and shopping (if the stores are open). It's a long day for the children. They usually kill time by watching TV. Around 4 pm we usually go to church while mom or dad cooks the Christmas meal which is "pinnekjøtt" (salted and/or smoked and dried ribs from a sheep). After dinner and desert we clean the table and walk around the Christmas tree singing tradional Christmas songs. "Nissen " (a Norwegian version of Santa Claus - much less commercial than his American collegue) comes with presents to all. The kids are then busy with their new toys while the grown-ups enjoy their coffee.

On Christmas day the children wake up to find that yet another Santa has put packages and fruit in their stockings.

The first and second days of Christmas are usually spent together with family and relatives.

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