A lot of preparations are being made before Christmas. Decorations are put up, cookies, cakes and bread are baked, and the ham to be served at the Christmas buffet is either boiled or roasted.

On Christmas Eve, some families still do the 'dipping in the pot', an old tradition where slices of bred are dipped into the broth from the boiled ham. The ham itself can be found on almost every Christmas dinner-table, and so can sausages, meatballs, herring, plums, sallads, etc. A dish only to be served around Christmas is lutfisk, or boild ling which has previously been soaked in lye. It is served with a white sauce, salt and pepper. The dessert after the Christmas dinner usually consists of boiled rice pudding with milk, sugar and cinnamon.