December 2011 n o s r a L l A y b o t o h P WHAT’S INSIDE President’s message . 2 Scandinavian Heritage: Cotter’s Son . 10-11 From the office; calendar . 3 Memorial bricks/Heritage Path . 12 Visit the SHA Gift Shop . 4 Scandinavian Society reports . 13-15 Picture this: Winter wonderland . 5 Tracing Your Scandinavian Roots: Gift memorials/membership form . 6 The gift of song . 16 Ho, ho, ho! Santa riddles . 7 Merry Christmas Scandinavian artist creates & Happy New Year! Coca-Cola Santas . 8-9 Page 2 • December 2011 • SCANDINAVIAN HERITAGE NEWS President’s MESSAGE Scandinavian Heritage News Vol. 24, Issue 57 • December 2011 Published quarterly by Mother Nature has spared The Scandinavian Heritage Assn . 1020 South Broadway us so far this fall! 701/852-9161 • P.O. Box 862 by Gail Peterson, president decorating our Minot, ND 58702 Scandinavian Heritage Association park. I think as e-mail: [email protected] usual, the park Website: scandinavianheritage.org e were lucky enough to enjoy a will be a beautiful Gail Peterson Newsletter Committee beautiful fall this year. As many and festive sight Lois Matson, Chair Wother parts of the country experienced this holiday season, and I hope every - Al Larson, Carroll Erickson ice storms and snowfall, we kept dodg - one will visit the park with their fami - Jo Ann Winistorfer, Editor ing the inevitable: winter. No matter lies. how long we managed to go without, We did get a nice crowd for Høstfest 701/487-3312 snow always seems to come too early. this year, including our Canadian [email protected] Especially as many of us try to rebuild friends and many out-of-state visitors. Al Larson, Publisher – 701/852-5552 flood-damaged homes. Thank you to all of our volunteers who Although we experienced an help make the event possible. unimaginable devastation this year Our annual meeting will take place SCANDINAVIAN HERITAGE with the flood, with many unable to re - on Saturday, Jan. 28, 2012, in the base - ASSOCIATION turn home, we are blessed that we did ment of the SHA headquarters build - 1020 South Broadway • P.O. Box 862 not lose any loved ones. I hope every - ing. Our next event will be our annual Minot, North Dakota 58702 one had a happy Thanksgiving with banquet and silent auction. It is a fun- Phone 701/852-9161 their family and friends. filled evening for the whole family, 2011 O FFICERS Since Minot’s Oak Park was also with entertainment and good food. Gail Peterson President flooded, it will not host the Christmas This year it will be held at the Grand Peder Rice Vice President in the Park this year. Sertoma, sponsors International Inn, on Saturday, April Marion Anderson Secretary Sue Weston Treasurer of Christmas in the Park, has offered 28, 2012. We’ll have more details in the some of the displays for us to use in next newsletter. I look forward to see - BOARD OF DIRECTORS our park, which will be a wonderful ing you all there. Three-year terms ending January 2014 addition to our decorations. I would I would like to wish everyone a safe Jerome Jorgenson Jim Maragos like to thank Bob Sando, Bob Whetter and happy Christmas. God bless you Lois Matson Peder Rice Bob Sando Ernie Selland and John Sinn for working so hard at and your families this holiday season. • Joan Varty Neil Zimmerman Three-year terms ending January 2013 Marion Anderson Ron Bieri Liz Gjellstad Jana Hennix Gail Peterson Virgil Rude Three-year terms ending January 2012 ALL MEMBERS ARE INVITED... Myron Anderson Eva Goodman Erv Johnson John Sinn Doris Slaaten Robert Whetter to the SHA annual meeting Jo Ann Winistorfer One-year appointees to January 2012 SATURDAY, JAN. 28, 2012 • 10 A.M. Adelaide Johnson Everett Olson Les Strege Sue Weston SHA Headquarters Building, Minot, ND Bob Wheeler Verla Rostad, Office Manager Ex-Officio Members Carroll Erickson , Past President Bruce Christenson , Past President he Scandinavian Heritage Association annual Allen O. Larson, Past President Roald Mattson, Past President meeting is set for Saturday, Jan. 28, at 10 a.m. George Officer, Past President at the SHA headquarters building at the inter - Mark Anderson, Past President T Directors Emeritus section of 11th Ave. S.W. and Broadway in Minot. Marian Bergan, Director Emeritus Doralyn Brown, Director Emeritus All members are welcome to attend. Jeanne McNea, Director Emeritus Helen Haaland, Director Emeritus SCANDINAVIAN HERITAGE NEWS • December 2011 • Page 3 From the OFFICE Christmas traditions, Scandinavian-style by Verla Rostad pleasant, with - Shared traditions SHA office manager out harsh words All of the Scandinavian countries or needless bick - have traditions that involve a special hen I think of my childhood ering. meal and attending church services on Christmases, I don’t remember The children Christmas Eve. Wfancy gifts, an elaborate tree and deco - are careful to do It is common throughout Scandi - rations or trips to exotic places. Our their share, too, navia to serve rice pudding, with the gifts were usually practical—something and every batch containing one whole almond. we needed. We always had a tree, but a Christmas Eve The finder of the almond wins a prize, modest one. The house was decorated they remember which is usually chocolate or marzipan, with a few other decorations, and the the little man in Denmark. In Finland the finder has to farthest we ever traveled on Christmas with a bowl of sing a song. In Sweden the person find - was 11 miles to church in town; the ex - Verla Rostad “risengrynsgrøt” ing it gets to make a wish, or is believed tended family always came to our (rice porridge), to get married the coming year (this house for Christmas dinner! which surely is appreciated, because by varies from family to family). But what I remember most about morning it always is gone. Did you know that the Christmas Christmas as a child is family and food. tree at Union Station, Washington, D.C., My dad was the son of Norwegian im - Swedish traditions migrants. Mom was “Norwegian After a festive Christmas Eve dinner through marriage.” Her wedding vows in Sweden, someone dresses up as must have included, “I will learn to Tomte (Christmas gnome) who accord - make all the traditional Norwegian ing to Swedish myth, lives on a farm or CALENDAR treats Johnny has grown accustomed to in the forest. Tomte looks a little like WINTER 2011-12 for Christmas.” Santa Claus and hands out the presents Mom and my Norwegian aunts al - while doing funny rhymes. ways filled the table with sweets con - sisting of rosettes, krumkake, lefse, Danish traditions fattigman, sandbakkels, julekake, spritz, In Denmark, as a good elf, Nisse gen - sugar cookies, gingersnaps—making erally helps people on the farms and is sure each person’s favorite cookie or bar good with children but plays jokes dur - was included. My aunt Gertie made the ing the holiday season. On Christmas best divinity! Mom made the best lefse. Eve, many families leave a bowl of rice I know now that the tradition of a table pudding or porridge for him so that he full of sweets had its roots in Norway, is friendly to them and keeps his jokes where there is a tradition of having at least within limits. seven Christmas cookies or biscuits. Finnish traditions Norwegian traditions The Christmas presents in Finland A tradition in Scandinavia for cen - are usually given out in the evening turies, the straw Julebukk or “Yule during a personal visit from the local • Scandinavian Heritage Asso- Goat” was the bringer of gifts to the Santa Claus. ciation Annual Meeting, household. Having a Julebukk in your 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 28, 2012, home is a symbol of “Jul” and a time of Icelandic traditions lower level, Scandinavian good cheer. Icelandic children have it the best! Heritage Center headquarters Nowadays, each of the Scandinavian Expect no fewer than 13 Icelandic Santa building, Minot countries has a Christmas gnome or elf. Clauses, or jólasveinar; each has his • SHA Annual Banquet, Norway has the Julenisse. Traditionally, own name, character and role. Saturday, April 28, 2012 the little man dwells in the attic or barn A special Icelandic custom for chil - International Inn, Minot and is guardian of the family's welfare. dren is to put a shoe in the window (Watch for details in next It is wise to please the Jule nisse be - from Dec. 12 until Christmas Eve, as the SHA Newsletter) cause he is apt to mix up the milk tins, jólasveinar make their rounds, one each NEXT NEWSLETTER DEADLINE: tangle the horse's manes, and even day. If the children have been good, one Copy and pictures—Feb. 15, 2011 make the cows sick, if he doesn't like of the “Santas” leaves a gift; bad chil - Printing date—March 1, 2011 your household. Consequently, every dren receive a potato. family tries to keep things orderly and Page 4 • December 2011 • SCANDINAVIAN HERITAGE NEWS is a gift from Norway to the people of Square in London has become an an - Washington and a symbol of the friend - nual tradition. God Jul! ship between the United States and Each of us has holiday traditions. Norway? Each year the tree is lit by the Some go back generations to our grand - Hyvää Joulua! Ambassador of Norway. In 1947 the parents’ homelands. Other traditions British authorities received a Christmas have evolved in more recent times. Tra - Glædelig jul! tree from Oslo as special thanks for the ditions of food, decorations, music, cel - help and support Britain gave to Nor - ebrations of faith, gifts and travel all Gleðileg jól! way and Norwegians during the occu - vary from family to family.