Editor’s Notes

Photo: Ulf Reinhall
NO EXISTENTIAL ANGST: Editor-in-chief Lori Ann Reinhall has found a new friend!

LORI ANN REINHALL
Editor-in-chief
The Norwegian American

Dear readers and friends, 

Every issue is special, but with this one, we really do have something to celebrate with the opening of the new Munch Museum in Oslo.

The new museum, many years in the making, is now open to the public, yet another destination to add to our bucket lists. Housing over 26,000 works of art by Edvard Munch and artists from the Expressionist moment in an ultra-modern structure on the capital’s waterfront, it is a sight to behold. 

While it was not possible for those of us here in the United States to attend the opening, we are fortunate that Tove Andersson, our correspondent in Oslo, was there to cover the event. Many thanks to her for going beyond the call of duty to bring this story alive for us all. To mark the occasion and celebrate in our own way, we have focused much of our issue on Edvard Munch and his work. 

“Yust a little lefse”

Among other things, this issue also offers a special section about something else uniquely Norwegian—lefse. Taste of Norway Editor Christy Olsen Field shares her own experiences, and our other food contributor, Kristi Bissell of True North Kitchen, offers a modern twist on one of our favorite foods. 

You will learn that the lefse tradition is still very much alive on this side of the Atlantic, and that there are great opportunities to have it sent to you at home, if you’re not quite up to making it yourself. It’s simply a great way to get ready for the holiday season ahead.

Christmas is coming

Yes, it is not too early to begin thinking about Christmas. Here at The Norwegian American, we are already working on our Nov. 19 holiday Gift Guide issue and planning the content for the rest of the season.

If you know of exciting events coming up, please remember to tell us about them as far in advance as possible—and you may even think about placing an ad if you want to get the word out (email ads@na-weekly.com for more information).

Some of you have already asked about placing a traditional holiday greeting this year. We will be sending out more information about this in our Nov. 19 issue, but if you just can’t wait, the online order form is already open at norwegianamerican.com/jul-greeting-2021. These greetings are an important source of our holiday revenue, and we thank you for your support.

More ways to give—and get!

As of September 1, 2021, The Norwegian American became a 501(c)3 non-profit organization under our umbrella organization at Norway House, which means that your donations are fully tax-deductible. We work to put every dollar to very good use, as we are growing our organization. While we have come so far in the past couple of years, there is so much more we want to do to bring you even more, and your contributions will help us get there. If you would like to learn more about special projects and plans, please reach out to me directly at loriann@na-weekly.com. I love getting to know you and hearing your ideas, too.

And then, of course, there is nothing that does more to build our organization than a steady flow of subscribers. A subscription to The Norwegian American is truly a win-win situation: it helps us build up our revenue, and you and your friends get to enjoy our unique content. It makes an ideal Christmas present for those you love, and there are many subscriber options available, including a $15 digital rate for students. What could be a better gift for your children and grandchildren?

One of the improvements we’ve made in the past year is the implementation of an online subscriber system, which makes it easier for you and saves us a significant amount of overhead. We encourage you to check it out and opt into auto-renewals for your account. This ensures that you will never miss an issue and guarantees a steady stream of revenue for us. Instead of spending time on administrative overhead, we can focus on bringing you the content you love.

Mark your calendars!

In the next few weeks, you will see more holiday events posted on our online Events Calendar. Remember to periodically visit the website to check things out. And yes, our Julekalender feature will be back again for the month of December, with a special Christmas surprise each day. 

And don’t forget that as a print subscriber you have free digital access, giving you access to our archives—but you can’t read the articles unless we have your email address. If you haven’t yet taken advantage of our digital offerings, please email us at subscribe@na-weekly.com, and we can grant you access to our website. You will also receive our weekly e-newsletters, another great way to keep in touch.

At that, I send you heartfelt greetings from our team and wish you very happy reading!

Lori Ann Reinhall
Editor-in-chief, The Norwegian American

This article originally appeared in the Nov. 5, 2021, issue of The Norwegian American. To subscribe, visit SUBSCRIBE or call us at (206) 784-4617.