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. Streets are decorated, locals not ready to rely on the Julenisse are out shopping, and good cheer is abundant …. Here in small-town Norway, Christmas is celebrated with a unique intimacy and a Scandinavian flair for community. All three for just $20 in our Travel Store! Storyline Join Rick Steves for a colorful, musical celebration of Christmas across Europe. "Rick Steve's European Christmas" is a very captivating dvd to watch. (6½ min). In Norway, a dozen days before Christmas, Santa Lucia Day is celebrated in family gatherings, churches, schools, day-care centers, nursing homes, and hospitals. 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. We're in Drobak, about an hour south of Oslo. From Norway to Rome...we're celebrating Christmas all over the Continent. 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. Christmas in Oslo feels low key. see our FAQ. Christmases everywhere come with special meals. Being Norwegian, I admit that I was biased…and Norway was destined to make the cut. 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. These processions are led by a young Lucia wearing a crown of lights. 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. The TV Special: Experience Christmas with Rick Steves in England, Norway, France, Italy, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland! All over Europe, people are celebrating in their own unique ways. 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. To celebrate the season, I’m sharing clips, extras and behind-the-scenes notes from Rick Steves’ European Christmas. Jule Ol or Christmas beer also goes back to medieval times when the Vikings liked to celebrate the winter solstice with a particularly stout brew. ©2021 Rick Steves' Europe, Inc. | To celebrate the season, I’m sharing clips, extras and behind-the-scenes notes from Rick Steves’ European Christmas. And all over Norway, communities gather together in churches just like this as choirs cap Santa Lucia day with a concert. Children set out food for gift-bearing elves. It's reminiscent of the old days when a peasant family's wealth was tied up in its precious pig. Get inspired with Rick Steves’ recommended places to go and things to do, with tips, photos, videos, and travel information on Norway. In Scandinavia, it's associated with the Viking goddess of love. Join Rick Steves for a colorful, musical celebration of Christmas across Europe. 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. ... Rick Steves' Europe. You'll find it best not on the streets or in the malls, but in the homes, with friends… and in music. And holiday desserts are a big part of Norway's Christmas season: the local Christmas fruitcake called Julekaca and a towering marzipan krenzikaka. 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. 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. For scenes straight out of a box of old-fashioned Christmas cards, we head to England — to the city of Bath. Religion Youthful voices fill the city's oldest church. Fixed iFrame Width: in pixels px Height: in pixels px. For Celtic people, it was a sacred … Create custom playlists with more than 400 educational clips featuring the best of European history, art, culture, and experiences (plus topics beyond Europe) . For a little extra holiday cheer, join Rick for a colorful, musical celebration of Christmas across Europe. Here's a holiday slice of Norway from Rick's European Christmas TV special. Here, in the heart of the old town near the magnificent medieval Abbey, Bath hosts an annual Christmas Market. 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. Seasonal treats are saffron buns, rice porridge, and marzipan cake. 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. 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. 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. It's streaming, on demand, for free! While its Norway's self-proclaimed capital of Christmas, Drobak feels like any idyllic town on a fjord. 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. Food Watch the full episode without commentary: 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. In Norway, as in the rest of Europe, pagan symbols - like the evergreen tree - survive disguised as Christmas traditions. Monday, December 21 at 9 pm on KRCB TV in the North Bay. 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. 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. The custom goes back to Shakespeare's day. For most of us, it's just a handy excuse to steal a little Christmas kiss. Created by Rick Steves' Europe Staff Featured Playlist. 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. 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. The Norwegian spirit of Christmas extends even to the departed. 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)! 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. The old Aker church, which dates back to the 12th century, hosts the Norwegian Girls Choir for an Advent concert. From manger scenes and mistletoe to wintry wonderlands, RICK STEVES' EUROPEAN CHRISTMAS celebrates the Christmas season throughout the European continent. Included are 14 complete live concert performances of music. From manger scenes and mistletoe to wintry wonderlands, RICK STEVES’ EUROPEAN CHRISTMAS celebrates the Christmas season throughout the European continent. 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. Carols are a deeply ingrained part of the English Christmas tradition. Then comes the Feast of St. Nicholas is on December 6th, Santa Lucia day is on the 13th. To celebrate the season, I’m sharing clips, extras and behind-the-scenes notes from Rick Steves’ European Christmas. To celebrate the season, I’m sharing clips, extras, and behind-the-scenes notes from Rick Steves’ European Christmas. Written by Rick Steves And as the congregation follows the Santa Lucias out — more light of Christmas spills into this little fjord-side community. Join Rick Steves for a colorful, musical celebration of Christmas across Europe. Rick Steves' European Christmas gives viewers a look at sacred, intimate family Christmas traditions. 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. The same is true with this sprig of mistletoe. Here in Norway, families treat children to a rice porridge… and it comes with a hidden almond…. European Christmas. The same is true with this sprig of mistletoe. To celebrate the season, I’m sharing clips, extras and behind-the-scenes notes from Rick Steves’ European Christmas. (6½ min) Watch the entire hour-long European Christmas special. … The child who discovers it wins a… marzipan pig. Rick Steves’ European Christmas – Monday, December 7 at 9:30 pm. We'll check back with the Santa Lucias and Julenisse later. 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. For coronavirus (COVID-19) travel information, 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. They used it to heal the sick and enhance fertility. Christianity 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 Europeans don't wrap things up on December 25th. It's Santa Lucia Day… December 13th — one of the darkest days of winter — and an important part of the Scandinavian Christmas season. Join Rick Steves for a colorful, musical celebration of Christmas across Europe. Norway. Candles flicker in grave yards as families remember lost loved ones. Rick Steves Classroom Europe® is a free online video library for teachers, students, and parents. Posted on: Friday, ... Norway, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy to reveal … 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. keywords Merry Christmas! Contemporary In Scandinavia, it's associated with the Viking goddess of love. Buy the video-book-music gift set. Being Norwegian, I admit that I was biased…and Norway was destined to make the cut. In Norway, as in the rest of Europe, pagan symbols - like the evergreen tree - survive disguised as Christmas traditions. Every good child knows the Julenisse is coming with an exciting reward. A common theme across cultures is a legendary gift giver - not always fat and jolly — who kids butter up with treats. More info about travel to Europe: https://www.ricksteves.com/europe Christmas Eve is finally here. For Celtic people, it was a sacred plant. Today is one of the darkest days of winter — and an important part of the Scandinavian Christmas season: Santa Lucia Day. 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. Christmas Filming Christmas in Europe: The story behind the special The children have baked the traditional Santa Lucia saffron buns - the same ones these seniors baked when they were kindergarteners. And while Norway awaits the return of the sun, further south, Paris creates its own light. 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. Buy your Rick Steves' European Christmas Book: Quantity: Add To Cart What's Included. 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. It's streaming, on demand, for free! 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. Join Rick Steves for a colorful, musical celebration of Christmas across Europe. Norway Travel Guide by Rick Steves For coronavirus (COVID-19) travel information, see our FAQ . Just up the fjord, Norway's capital, Oslo, celebrates Christmas with a more urban charm. 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. Here's a holiday slice of Norway from Rick's European Christmas TV special. Join Rick Steves for a colorful, musical celebration of Christmas across Europe. He begins his travels in England, where the Lucia was a fourth-century Sicilian saint who (legend says) helped pe… Terms of Service | Privacy. , but in the heart of the sun, further south, Paris creates own... 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