Merry Christmas to all travellers around the world - 2006!

Photo. Christmas three at Bekkestua, near the Norwegian capital Oslo. © Travel Explorations.

Christmas is a time for families and friend, fun, and parties! It`s time traditional meals, stars, singing, decorations, twinkling lights, rocking around the Christmas tree and open presents. The best of all is Santa Claus.

We all know that each Christmas Santa travels all over the world carrying presents and good will. Everyone dream about that their wishes will be made true.  Instead of waiting for Santa Claus, eager people waiting for presents can go to Norway and Finland.

Norway and Finland are probably the countries who have most associated with the Santa Claus and Christmas celebrations. That`s why so many people around the world are visiting these countries in the Christmas time.  

Santa Claus is also known as Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas or St. Nikolaus, Sinterklaas, Joulupukki, Julenissen, tomtegubben, Weihnachtsmann, Saint Basil and Father Frost.

Photo. Santa takes a rest after a long hard day in Oslo, Norway. As far I can see there are some few gifts left - for who? © Travel Explorations. In my homecountry there is extremely much hard partying before and during the Christmas. Adults are drinking and singing. Everybody like to meet for sharing the great Christmas atmosphere.

In Norway`s capital Oslo, lot of people are dressed up as Santa Claus, and they rock the night long around in pubs, bars and discoes. Some of them get totally crazy, but as far they looks like Santa, they get away with it. No one touches Santa. He is holy in Norway.

In the evening on 24 December Santa Claus himself, called julenissen in Norway, will show up with well packed presents. In the days between Christmas and New Years Eve, romjulen, children go from house to house in the afternoon asking for sweets. This tradition is called "Christmas buck", julebukk. The tradition goes back to the Viking times when pagans worshipped Thor and his goat, but just a few children keep up the tradition today.

Photo. Celebration of Christmas in one of Oslo`s greatest party places, Tordenskjold pub. © Travel Explorations.

Travel Explorations wish merry Christmas to all travellers around the world! Especially I will send a warm Christmas greeting to my many friends in Finland and say: The true Santa is from Norway!

I wish you all the happiness that Christmas time can bring.

And then for every day next year the best of everything!

Let`s hope year 2007 will be another year when dreams will come true!

Stein Morten Lund, 20 December 2006