Christmas Stamps

The bright festive season

Christmas markets and decorated streets with their special Yuletide ambience have become a popular feature of the festive period in Norway.

Whether you’re looking for a wool sweater, cured meats or home-made marzipan treats, you’ll find all sorts of unique specialities and gifts at the Christmas markets. One of the real delights of a market is the chance to wander around and soak up the atmosphere. The tradition dates back to the 1400s, with the Christmas market in Dresden being one of the oldest. Nowadays, there are well over 200 major Christmas markets throughout Norway during the run-up to Christmas.

As you stroll along the Norwegian streets with their thousands of Christmas illuminations, it’s difficult to imagine what this time of year would be like without electricity. But it was like that well into the 1900s in Norway. In December 1927, an article appeared in the Aftenposten newspaper calling for main streets to be decorated in festive style. The following year, magnificent decorations lit up the winter darkness after the newspaper announced a competition for the best display. Now towns and villages across the country decorate their streets every year to create a truly magical pre-Christmas atmosphere.