Mon
2 Dec
2024
Now, Longyearbyen is located in Adventfjord, isn’t it 🤪😵💫 this is actually not only one of my infamous puns, but actually a not so rare misunderstanding. The name Adventfjord has nothing to do with the Advent season, but with an English whaling ship, the Adventure, which was there in the 17th century.
But that’s not what this is all about, it’s about the start of the Advent season in Longyearbyen. There is also a Christmas market here, or rather two, even. However, they are a little different to what most of us may be used to. On two weekends, in mid-November and last weekend, the hard-working and creative artists, craftspeople and everyone in between set up their stalls, first in the cultural centre (Kulturhuset) in the town centre and on the first weekend of Advent in the artists’ centre (kunstnersentrum) in Nybyen higher up in the valley, where the gallery used to be some years ago. Unfortunately no roasted almonds and no mulled wine, but lots of great handicrafts made in Longyearbyen, including Eva Grøndal from the local photographer dynasty of the same name (first picture) and Wolfgang Hübner-Zach from the carpentry workshop Alt i 3 (that’s where the beautiful kitchen boards and driftwood picture frames come from 😉). And lots of other great things. Lena’s deceptively real chocolate fossils, awesome! To name just one more example.
Christmas market in Nybyen
Click on thumbnail to open an enlarged version of the specific photo.
And then, of course, there is the traditional torchlight procession on the afternoon of the first Sunday in Advent – it is dark, even the street lights are switched off in the area during the event – from the Huset to Santa’s letterbox below the old pit 2b, the ‘julenissegruve’ (Santa’s pit). Father Christmas is working hard up there now, so this old coal mine, abandoned since 1964, is now lit up again until Christmas. And down by the road is the letterbox where the children (including the older ones, if they want to) post their letters to Father Christmas with all their wishes.
The route continues to the centre, where the Christmas tree is lit. Of course, there are warm words, cheerful singing and good cheer and, last but not least, Father Christmas arrives with his assistants and distributes a small advance to the many children.
The Christmas tree is lit
Click on thumbnail to open an enlarged version of the specific photo.
This marks the start of the Advent season in Longyearbyen, and everywhere else too, of course. I wish everyone a happy and joyful Advent season!