The Julekalender

The Julekalender is a Norwegian Christmas season television series produced by and starring Travellin' Strawberrys in collaboration with Saks Film and Entertainment and TV 2, 1994. Around 400,000 viewers followed the series in December 1994, and it has since been broadcast anew in 1996, 2003, 2008 and 2012. It was based on the Danish series The Julekalender from 1991, which also inspired a Finnish version in 1997. The original concept and script of the series, as well as its numerous songs came from the Danish trio of De Nattergale. The characters spoke Norwenglish, a pidgin of English and Norwegian. The series consisted of 24 episodes, and its production crew came from Trondheim, Norway.

The Julekalender (1994) is a Norwegian Christmas season television series created by Hans-Erik Saks for TV 2 Direkte, a one-season limited run of twenty-four short episodes, each about twelve minutes long, that unfolds like a daily advent calendar through December. Produced by and starring the Travellin' Strawberrys, the series features Arve Opsahl as Good Old Gammel Nok, with Tore Johansen as Gjertrud Sand, also known as Hansi, Erling Mylius as Benny Jensen, also known as Fritz, and Ivar Gafseth as Olaf Sand, also known as Gynter, as the principal figures whose playful mishaps drive each installment. The characters speak Norwenglish, a pidgin blending English and Norwegian, which gives the whole production an eccentric, unmistakably homemade charm. Its engine is light and episodic: each small day-by-day episode builds the holiday mood with silly situations, comic routines and a steady stream of songs adapted from the Danish trio De Nattergale. Rooted in Norwegian Christmas tradition and modeled on a Danish original, the show is warm, cheerful and nostalgic, and fans of Julekalender-style holiday comedies and Muppet-like musical sketch humor will find resonance in its gentle absurdity and seasonal coziness. Viewers have returned to it through reruns across several decades, making it a festive family favorite for the holiday season.

• Julekalendershared holiday christmas calendar format, short daily episodes, family comedy tone
• Lille Nøddeknekkerbjørnenshared christmas advent calendar tradition with daily installments and playful musical comedy
• The Muppet Christmas Carolshared absurd comedy with song-driven, playful family entertainment built for a holiday season

Created by

Hans-Erik Saks

Release Date

1994-12-01

Episode runtime

12 min

Rating

7.6 / 10 (14)

What is The Julekalender about?

A Norwegian Christmas advent-calendar comedy told in twenty-four short daily episodes, spoken in a playful English-Norwegian pidgin.

What is The Julekalender like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Julekalender as brisk, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as simple.

Is The Julekalender violent?

No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in The Julekalender.

Which shows are like The Julekalender?

Shows with a similar feel include Julekalender, Lille Nøddeknekkerbjørnen, and The Muppet Christmas Carol.

How long is The Julekalender?

The Julekalender: 1 season, 24 episodes.

Is The Julekalender still running?

No, The Julekalender has ended.