Ribbe or pinnekjøtt? The Viking roots of julebord

Later today I’m heading to julebord — the great Norwegian feast that marks the start of the December social madness. Food, company, laughter… and possibly someone singing and dancing in a way they might regret. It got me thinking: can we trace julebord back to the Viking age?

Well, not directly in name. But absolutely in spirit.

A modern feast with ancient roots

The Vikings didn’t say julebord, but they celebrated midwinter with food, drink, and togetherness. The midwinter festival Jól was one of the biggest events of the year — a time for honouring gods and ancestors, exchanging gifts, strengthening bonds between families, and, importantly, proving hospitality.

A few things we know from the sagas and later sources:

• Yule feasts typically lasted several days
• Drinking toasts were made to the gods, the king, fallen kin, and good harvests
• Generosity was a social obligation; a good host gained honour, a stingy one lost it
• Winter was hard, so a feast reminded people of community, survival, and shared strength

Jól also marked the turning point of the sun, when the days would finally begin to grow longer again. It wasn’t just a celebration — it was survival, hope, and community wrapped into one.

So while today’s julebord happens in modern buildings rather than longhouses, the core idea is surprisingly familiar: eat well, drink well, share stories, strengthen friendships, celebrate surviving another year.

Not so different from Viking thinking.

Ribbe vs pinnekjøtt

Norwegians love to argue about Christmas food the way Vikings argued over honour. Two dishes dominate the table:

Ribbe — crispy pork belly. The most common Christmas dinner in modern Norway.

Pinnekjøtt — salted and dried lamb ribs, often steamed over birch sticks. The traditional favourite in the West and the North.

So which one would the Vikings have eaten? Most likely lamb and mutton; reindeer and boar were common too, pork less so.

Which means: if you’re eating pinnekjøtt, you’re basically dining like a Norse chieftain. If you’re eating ribbe, you’re enjoying a delicious post-Viking evolution of the feast.

Either way, both meals pair well with mead, ale… and a saga or two.

Speaking of new tales

If you want something to read through the dark days of advent, the newest book in the Shieldmaiden series, The Shieldmaiden’s Crossing, follows Tora and her crew as they sail for Iceland — where, as expected, trouble is waiting for them.

And for a proper midwinter story, our free short Ulv’s Jól follows a young Ulv celebrating the feast with his father, long before the events of Viking. Quiet, rooted in family and tradition, and perfect reading for the season.

Skål, and have a wonderful advent season!