Pigging out on Christmas Food

I visited the Norwegian Museum of Cultural History, a living history village similar to Williamsburg, Virginia. There’s a museum with 1000-year-old Viking ships, a museum with cultural exhibits and artifacts, and a village of wooden houses and a church that date back to 1200. It was here that I discovered the World’s Largest Marzipan Pig.

The pig is a symbol of Christmas in Norway. Pork is a popular holiday dish and candy replicas of the pig are in every store, some covered in chocolate. On the last day of the Christmas Market at the folk museum, the giant marzipan pig is sliced up and handed out to the visitors.

Another traditional food at Christmas is rice porridge with cinnamon and sugar. In one serving, an almond is hidden and whoever gets that portion receives a marzipan pig and is supposed to have good luck for the year or get married.

Since I won’t be in Oslo to share in the giant pig party, I went to the ICA supermarket and bought myself a small, chocolate-covered marzipan pig. On Dec. 24th, I’ll make some rice pudding and eat my pig and wish everyone a God Jul!