Editor’s Notes

Julen kommer — Christmas is coming ….

Photo: Tessa Rampersad / Unsplash
Advent is a time of light and bright colorful decorations, but also a time for deep reflection.

Dear readers and friends, 

It’s hard to believe that the wheel has nearly come full circle again, as we enter the holiday season, celebrate the end of a year, and soon enter a new one. 

When this issue arrives in your mailbox, we will have already lit the first Advent candle and perhaps the second. Advent means “coming” in Latin, and within the Christian church, it refers to the coming of Christ. It is both a time of anticipation and joy.

But I believe this season is time for everyone, regardless of their religious creed. Advent is a time of light and life in a dark world, a world full of challenges and, at times, things we cannot fully understand. 

It is a time to come together with friends and family and a time to reach out to others, to spread compassion and understanding. It’s a time of comfort and warmth. It’s time to open our doors to gather together with those we love and open our hearts to those who need our love.

This past week, I have had the wonderful experience of celebrating the season together with friends at the Seaman’s Church in New York City. Some of them were colleagues and friends of old, others were virtual friends who I finally got to meet in person for the first time, and many of them were new friends, readers, or simply friendly new faces. 

Being among all of you is a wonderful aspect of being editor-in-chief of this newspaper: I get to meet and talk with so many interesting people from different walks of life. I always learn something, gain new ideas and inspiration, and understand the importance of our publication in bringing people and communities together. 

In this issue, we are also reporting the exciting news that the Norwegian miniseries Atlantic Crossing won the 2021 International Emmy for “Best TV movie or miniseries” on Nov. 22. This is a great accomplishment for all those involved with the production and great source of Norwegian-American pride. To celebrate, we created a special landing page on our website, where you can easily access the articles that we published around Atlantic Crossing, and Crown Princess Märtha.

If you haven’t had a chance to watch the miniseries, it is available for streaming on the PBS website, and I urge you to read the articles that your subscription gives you access to on our website. It’s a wonderful opportunity for both entertainment and education.

Something special for a special season

Yes, this season is special, as is the content we work to bring to you—and this issue is no exception.

Food is always an important part of the festivities, and here, our food contributors have risen to the occasion to bring you new and exciting ideas for your Christmas buffets. We hope you will enjoy reading new recipes by Kristin Bissell that provide you with a modern take on the Nordic Christmas table. These dishes contain the same traditional tastes but offer healthy options for those with dietary restrictions or looking to try something new. Many thanks to both Kristi and our Taste of Norway editor, Christy Olsen Field, for all their efforts to make our holidays extra delicious.

There are, of course, many people who work to put together our paper—I thank them all—but in particular, I would like to thank Ron Loge and his daughter, Laura, for bringing us our cover image. It’s a slice out of real life, as Ron brings in the Christmas tree to his own Norwegian stabbur in the quiet Montana landscape, setting the perfect mood for our issue.

And if you notice there are more ads in our Christmas issues, that is because this season is so important to Nordic vendors. Most of them are small specialty shops that rely heavily on their holiday season sales, so please don’t forget to support them this year, as you celebrate the season in style.

Finally, I want to remind you that we cannot bring you this newspaper without your incredible support: your subscriptions, your donations, your contributions. We hope that you will remember that The Norwegian American is also a terrific Christmas gift for your family and friends, a gift that they can enjoy all year round. We are growing and improving, but with your help, things will get even better—and we are so grateful for your support.

Wishing you a warm and wonderful Advent, 

Lori Ann Reinhall, editor-in-chief

This article originally appeared in the Dec. 3, 2021, issue of The Norwegian American. To subscribe, visit SUBSCRIBE or call us at (206) 784-4617.