The town of Norway has been using bells to welcome the holidays since 1995.
By Jim Smedley
Staff Writer

NORWAY – With a half moon smiling down, several merchants and churches rang in the Christmas season on Saturday.

That – ringing in the season – is based on a Norwegian custom. The tradition began here in 1995, as suggested to merchants by Lesley Dean, manager of L.F. Pike & Son.

Employees from Western Auto, Cattails and L.F. Pike & Son rang bells as did the Unitarian Universalist Church and the Second Congregational Church.

Dean said the Christmas parade theme was “Christmas around the world,” and she though it appropriate to do something based on a Norwegian custom.

Her research revealed that at 4 p.m. on Christmas Eve in Norway, church bells start chiming to ring in the holiday.

The bells are not rung in an ordinary way; there is no lazy ding-dong,” according to Christmas Information Services, Inc. “There is an intense and protracted ding-sing-sing for several minutes.

“As the sound of the bells dies away, Christmas peace settle over towns and villages,” the service stated.

The town of Norway’s adaptation of this ceremony was to have two bell ringing services; one on the day of the Christmas parade and one on Christmas Eve.

Dean said more merchants step out of their stores for the Christmas Eve ceremony. It is also different in that two Norway fire engines will drive slowly toward each other at opposite ends of Main Street, each ringing a bell as they travel.

“There’s no sirens, just old fashioned bells,” Dean said. “The merchants step out and ring bells to wish each other well.”

jsmedley@sunjournal.com

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