Christmas in Longyearbyen is small, warm and a little bit wild. About 2,500 people live here, far from family on the mainland, so the town has built its own traditions over the years. Here is what the season looks like from our front door in Nybyen.

The darkest, cosiest time of year

The sun goes down for good in late October, and from mid-November the polar night is in full swing. By Christmas there is no daylight at all, not even a blue glow at noon. That sounds gloomy, but it’s the opposite. Every window has a candle or a star, the snow reflects the town lights, and on clear nights the Northern Lights can appear at any hour.

The first Sunday of Advent: torches, a letterbox and a tree

The season starts with one of our favourite evenings of the year. On the first Sunday of Advent (29 November in 2026), the street lights are switched off and locals walk with burning torches from Huset, past the old Mine 2, up to Santa’s letterbox in Nybyen. Later the same day, the town Christmas tree is lit in the square. The tree is shipped up from mainland Norway every year, since nothing that tall grows here.

Santa lives in Mine 2B (ask any child in town)

High on the mountainside above Nybyen sits Mine 2B, known locally as the Santa Claus Mine. In December its lights glow in the dark, and on the road below there’s a special letterbox where children post their wish lists. Every year, the letters are collected. Santa is practically our neighbour, and we’re happy to point you up the road.

Christmas markets and duty-free shopping

In early December, locals sell handmade gifts at Christmas markets, including one at Kulturhuset in the town centre and one at the art and craft centre (Galleri Svalbard) right here in Nybyen. Expect knitwear, prints, jewellery and local photography. The rest of the month, Longyearbyen’s shops are open as usual, and since Svalbard is a duty-free zone, outdoor gear and gifts cost less than on the mainland.

Little Christmas Eve and the Christmas march

On 23 December, Norway celebrates lille julaften, “little Christmas Eve”. Some years the locals also dress up for a Christmas march, a cheerful walk from pub to pub through town.

Christmas Eve: the big night

Norwegians celebrate on the evening of 24 December. At Svalbard Church, the northernmost church in the world, the Christmas Eve service fills up with locals, many in bunad, the traditional costume from the region of Norway their family comes from. Then it’s home for dinner, presents and long evenings with friends.

Dinner is often ribbe (crispy pork belly) or pinnekjøtt (salted lamb ribs), and in Svalbard some families roast a leg of reindeer from the autumn hunt. Others drive their snowmobiles out to a cabin and celebrate in the middle of the wilderness. And because so many people here are far from home, sharing Christmas dinner with friends and neighbours has been a tradition since the old mining-company days.

Christmas Day and the quiet days after

The 25th and 26th are slow, quiet days. There’s another service at the church on Christmas Day, then it’s walks, board games and leftovers. With no flights on these days, the whole town has a peaceful, snowed-in feeling. It’s a great time for a husky ride or a Northern Lights tour with the people you love.

Spend Christmas with us at 102

At Gjestehuset 102 we keep the old spirit of sharing Christmas alive. On Christmas Eve, guests and staff come together in the lounge for singing, games, a gift exchange and a big Filipino Christmas buffet with roasted pork, adobo, lumpia and fried chicken. Most of our team is from the Philippines, and nobody does Christmas quite like a Filipino family.

Our Christmas package runs from 23 to 27 December 2026, with 4 nights in Nybyen, a guided sightseeing trip around Longyearbyen and a seat at our Christmas Eve table. See the Christmas package →