In Northern Norway, near where Santa lives, the tradition is to bury a relative alive. The tradition is called Bjordejokke. The person who was buried the previous year is dug up and replaced with the new living body. The person being buried is usually intoxicated, having drunk a mixture of alcohol and juniper berries - called Smejlshce.
The head of the household prepares two drinks: one is non-alcoholic, usually made from a mixture of berries and apple juice; while the other is Smejlshce. The drinks are poured out, with one cup being filled with Smejlshce. Nobody knows which one is which. Therefore nobody knows who will be the person who drinks the Smejlshce cup, and is therefore buried alive. Tradition says the spirit Gwibli decides who it will be. Often Smejlshce is so strong the person who drinks it dies from alcohol poisoning.
The pitja, or grave, is usually ten feet deep. It is said it needs to be this deep so that the screams of the waking person are also buried.
Once the relative is buried, the rest of the family gather around a fire next to the pitja, reading books, telling tall tales and exchanging gifts. The fire is often made up of the possessions of the relative who was buried. Traditionally the remaining family members eat a sweet bread called bjordifon, which is shaped like the head of an infant child.
The body of the relative who was dug up is wrapped in clothing and brought out in to the icy wilderness, where it is left for polar bears, or other such Arctic animals, to eat.
The head of the household prepares two drinks: one is non-alcoholic, usually made from a mixture of berries and apple juice; while the other is Smejlshce. The drinks are poured out, with one cup being filled with Smejlshce. Nobody knows which one is which. Therefore nobody knows who will be the person who drinks the Smejlshce cup, and is therefore buried alive. Tradition says the spirit Gwibli decides who it will be. Often Smejlshce is so strong the person who drinks it dies from alcohol poisoning.
The pitja, or grave, is usually ten feet deep. It is said it needs to be this deep so that the screams of the waking person are also buried.
Once the relative is buried, the rest of the family gather around a fire next to the pitja, reading books, telling tall tales and exchanging gifts. The fire is often made up of the possessions of the relative who was buried. Traditionally the remaining family members eat a sweet bread called bjordifon, which is shaped like the head of an infant child.
The body of the relative who was dug up is wrapped in clothing and brought out in to the icy wilderness, where it is left for polar bears, or other such Arctic animals, to eat.