Olof Skötkonung, sometimes stylized as Olaf the Swede, was King of Sweden, son of Eric the Victorious and, according to Icelandic sources, Sigrid the Haughty. He succeeded his father in c. 995. He stands at the threshold of recorded history, since he is the first Swedish ruler about whom there is substantial knowledge. He is regarded as the first king known to have ruled both the Swedes and the Geats. In Sweden, the reign of king Olov Skötkonung is considered to be the transition from the Viking age to the Middle Ages, because he was the first Christian king of the Swedes, who were the last to adopt Christianity in Scandinavia. He is associated with a growing influence of the church in what is today southwestern and central Sweden. Norse beliefs persisted in parts of Sweden until the 12–13th century.
Nikolaj Frederik Severin Grundtvig, most often referred to as N. F. S. Grundtvig, was a Danish pastor, author, poet, philosopher, historian, teacher and politician. He was one of the most influential people in Danish history, as his philosophy gave rise to a new form of nationalism in the last half of the 19th century. It was steeped in the national literature and supported by deep spirituality.
Sissel Kyrkjebø, also simply known as Sissel, is a Norwegian soprano.
Jon Olav Fosse is a Norwegian author, translator, and playwright. In 2023, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature "for his innovative plays and prose which give voice to the unsayable."
Jon "Jo" Nesbø is a Norwegian writer, musician, and former football player and reporter. More than 3 million copies of his novels had been sold in Norway as of March 2014, and he had sold over 50 million copies worldwide by 2021, making him the most successful Norwegian author of all time. His work has been translated into more than 50 languages.
Jákup Dahl was a Faroese Provost and Bible translator. In 1908 he became known as a linguist with the first Faroese grammar lessons for school students.
A Christmas Carol, the 1843 novella by Charles Dickens (1812–1870), is one of the English author's best-known works. It is the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, a greedy miser who hates Christmas, but is transformed into a caring, kindly person through the visitations of four ghosts. The classic work has been dramatised and adapted countless times for virtually every medium and performance genre, and new versions appear regularly.
Jul, the Danish Jule and Christmas, is celebrated throughout December starting either at the beginning of Advent or on 1 December with a variety of traditions. Christmas Eve, Juleaften, the main event of Jul, is celebrated on the evening of 24 December, the evening before the two Christmas holidays, 25 and 26 December. Celebrating on the eve before Christmas is also used for most other holidays in Denmark.
Carl Christian Nicolaj Balle (1806–1855) was a Danish composer and editor of church music; he is noted for his Christmas compositions, including the hymn tune "Det kimer nu til julefest". He was born in Copenhagen, and served as a pastor in Vesterbølle and Nebsager.
Glade Jul is the second album of the Norwegian soprano Sissel Kyrkjebø. The album was recorded with the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra. It sold 450,000 copies in 1987 and has sold over 60,000 copies in Norway since then. Adding the releases in other countries, the sales number has passed the one million mark since then. The album was mainly sold in Norway, whose population is less than five million. Glade Jul is the all-time best-selling album in Norway.
Sven Charles Otto Wennergren was a Swedish tennis player who competed at the 1912 and 1924 Summer Olympics.
"Elveskud" or "Elverskud" is the Danish, and most widely used, name for one of the most popular ballads in Scandinavia.
"Nu är det jul igen" is an old Christmas song originating in Scandinavia, and often sung when dancing around the Christmas tree. Lyrically, the song first states that Christmas lasts all the way until Easter, before mentioning that this is not the case, since the fasting season comes between them.
Stilla Natt is a Swedish album by Sissel Kyrkjebø, released in 1987. This album contains Norwegian and Swedish Christmas carols. It's the Swedish version of the Norwegian Christmas release Glade Jul from the same year.
Julekonserten was a Norwegian Christmas concert which was held every year between 1989 and 1999. Julekonserten toured in Scandinavia, and visited cities in Norway, Sweden and Denmark with a mix of Scandinavian artists. The long list of artists and performers includes Sissel Kyrkjebø, The Chieftains, Oslo Gospel Choir, Triple & Touch, Rune Larsen, Tor Endresen and Kurt Ravn. Every year Julekonserten was also broadcast on Television in Norway, Sweden and Denmark. Stageway AS arranged these concerts and a part of the money went to aid children on the street in La Paz and Santa Cruz in Bolivia.
Jul is a Christmas album by Carola Søgaard, released in 1991.
It's Snowing on My Piano is a solo piano album by pianist Bugge Wesseltoft.
Bente Hansen was a Danish writer, editor and women's rights activist who was a prominent supporter of the Danish Red Stocking Movement from 1970. She published a number of books on socialism and the role of women and was coordinating editor of the daily newspaper Information in the mid-1970s, giving special attention to social movements.
The Chief of the Defence Staff the second most senior uniformed member of the Swedish Armed Forces and heads the Defence Staff. The Chief of the Defence Staff is the chief of staff of the Supreme Commander of the Swedish Armed Forces.
