Norwegian Christmas Celebration

Kick off the holiday season with the annual Norwegian Christmas celebration at Vesterheim!

Activities in Heritage Park, Bethania Church, and the Commons are free, and admission to the museum’s Main Building is free for youth under age 18. (Don’t forget that families with EBT cards and Luther College students and staff receive free admission.)

Enjoy traditional festive family activities!

• A juletrefest at 11:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. (Norwegian Christmas tree party of singing around a decorated tree) with a visit from the Julenisse!
• Real goats from the Lost Pine Farm in Decorah, Iowa, thanks to Mike and Erin Ryan
• Hot beverages and Scandinavian s’mores around a fire, plus bites of traditional Norwegian lefse treats on the Commons patio.
• Julebukker, costumed folk who roam the museum complex scaring away evil spirits, and young julenisse playing tricks.
• Hands-on crafts – Scandinavian heart baskets, yarn nisse dolls, julenek straw wheat ornaments, and paper crafts in the Main Building and Commons
• Selfie Op with the giant wooden nisse on the Commons patio.

Vesterheim’s Norwegian Christmas event is supported by a generous gift to the Vesterheim Annual Fund from Neal and Gerry Nottleson. Music during Norwegian Christmas is supported by Mike and Diane Schmidt. Youth activities during Norwegian Christmas are made possible by the generous President’s Circle membership support of Bob and Mary Lake.