Watch “Grevinnen og Hovmesteren” on Christmas Eve

There’s an unlikely popular show that airs in Norway every Christmas Eve or julaften, as it’s called in Norway. The eighteen-minute comedy sketch is titled “Grevinnen og Hovmesteren” or “The Baroness and the Butler.” Sometimes it’s also called “Dinner for One.”

It was originally recorded in Germany in 1963 for an English audience there. However, the sketch has become significantly more popular in Norway than it ever was in Germany. No one is really sure why, and most Norwegians don’t even recall the actual name of the show! They do, however, always make time to watch it every year out of tradition.

The plot is humorous and basically involves a wealthy baroness getting the butler completely intoxicated. From there it’s implied that part of his duties for the evening also include giving the old lady a good shagging.

What this has to do with the holidays I have no idea, although it certainly has a few things in common with the aggressive drinking culture in Norway, especially around the holidays.

Watch Dinner for One