Advent Unity and Peace

My theme for this week of Advent is "Striving to find unity and peace with all the people of the world".

One way I love to do that is by learning about the traditions and beliefs of people throughout the world.

This week I decided to learn more about the advent customs in Norway, the land of my husband's people.

Agenda:
1- Research Norway
2- Make surkål, sweet and sour cabbage
3- Make Kremmerhus, Norwegian horns

1- Research Norway:
Norway is now predominantly a Christian country, but until about the 11th century people there celebrated Jul instead of Christmas. Christmastime is still called Juletid in Norway, and Happy/Merry Christmas is God Jul or Gledelig Jul. In North-Sami, spoken in northern parts of Norway, it's Buorit Juovllat.

Preparations for the Jul season began very early: Chopping wood, cleaning, washing, ironing, preparing Christmas food, and decorating the house all needed to be finished before Lussi Night (December 12), or the witch Lussi might slide down the chimney and give them a big slap.

This week I plan to try out some traditional Norwegian advent meals, cookies, and crafts. And I'll add other Norwegian traditions, celebrations, and projects throughout the month!

2- Make surkål, sweet and sour cabbage:

Surkål is a very traditional Norwegian Christmastime food, usually served with pork, meatballs, or sausages. The common cabbage is grown all over the Norway, is very hardy, and is well suited for storage, and so it's become a staple in the winter months.

Ingredients:

• 1 red cabbage 
• 1 apple 
• 1 yellow onion 
• 1 Tbsp. butter 
• 1 Tbsp flour 
• 1/2- Tbsp. brown sugar 
• 1/4 tsp. salt 
• 1/4 c. apple cider vinegar 
• 1/4 c. red wine

1. Dice the onion and apple (remove the apple core, but leave the peel on). In a large pot, saute onion and apple in butter. 

2. While that cooks, cut the cabbage in half, remove the core, and cut into ribbons.

3. When onions and apples are soft, add flour, brown sugar and salt. Stir to combine. 




4. Add the cabbage, vinegar, and wine, and 1/2 c. water. Cover and simmer about 1-1/2 hours on low, checking every once in awhile to make sure there is still liquid in the pot. Add hot water if needed, and continue simmering until cabbage is soft- the cabbage will reduce to about half the size. 

4. Adjust the flavor to your taste by adding more vinegar or more sugar. Serve hot, maybe with some pork chops.

4- Make Kremmerhus, Norwegian horns:
A kremmerhus is a horn or cornet- originally a paper cone given out by stores to carry your bits and bobs home. They were especially used for sewing notions, and also hardware, like nuts, bolts and nails. 

Now people make decorative kremmerhus to put on the Christmas tree and fill with nuts or sweets.

Use a dinner plate for a template, to make 4 small cones

Kremmerhus can be made from anything- paper, card, felt, or fabric. Traditionally the colours are red and white.

Supplies: Dinner plate, pencil, paper, ruler, felt, sewing scissors, sewing thread, needle, pins, lace (optional)



1. Draw around the plate onto your paper or felt, and cut a circle. Then fold to get quarters, 


and cut 4 pieces. (A quarter circle is actually too big, but you will trim it down.)

You can see the slice I cut away at the top.

2. Overlap the edges of the quarter circle to make a cone and mark a line where you want to sew.




3. Open up the quarter and trim the extra away.

4. Overlap again and and pin together, then, starting at the bottom, sew the edges together with a whip stitch (shown here) or blanket stitch.

6. Add a strip of felt or a ribbon for a handle, and a bit of lace around the top edge, if you like. 


Fill with treats and hang on the tree!