Jul i Svingen

- Season 1

(2006)

Everyone is looking forward to the annual Christmas tree lighting in Svingen. Marvin thinks the event is boring and creates a plan to make it exceptional. It will be a Christmas tree lighting that no one will forget.

Agnetha tells Marvin to clear the yard of snow, but he doesn't feel like it at all. So he comes up with a plan when the children drop by, spinning a tale about his mysterious, very rich grandfather and his hidden treasure.

A new family has just moved from Sletta to Svingen. Morten, the little boy in the family, immediately takes to Klara, but the new girl, Victoria, who is as old as Linus, is quite rude and difficult to like. Linus tries as hard as he can, but their characters and opinions are very different.

Linus, Nure and Atif join Marvin, Biggen and Tor on a hiking trip to their old log cabin. There the boys learn about the pact with Nure's late father, Charles Bergum, and the tin trunk the friends hid in the forest when they were little.

Victoria claims that girls are tougher than boys, and taunts Børre into proving otherwise. In turn, Børre can't leave it at that, so he challenges Åsa, Akaya and Victoria to meet him in the evening at the haunted house in the village. Børre tries to show the girls that ghosts really exist, and that he isn't scared. The girls decide to take revenge.

Agnetha tells Marvin it's his turn to clean the chimney, but Marvin tries to wriggle out of the chore every way he can. When their discussion turns into an argument, Klara also starts questioning the house rules. Both Marvin and Klara with Morten struggle to find a quiet hiding place to avoid more trouble.

Victoria's mother Vera, a professional actress, decides to start a children's theater group. She encourages the children to perform whatever they like, and improvise. All of them soon come up with various music, dance and magic acts for the evening, but Nure, who keeps feeling feverish, is extremely nervous about acting in public, and constantly on the brink of backing out.

When Biggen can't get home on time, Åsa has to mind the shop. Together with Victoria, she manages to keep all the customers satisfied, except for grumpy Mrs. Wold. Børre and Nure find a fox hit by a car, and take it to the gas station. The children decide that the injured animal needs surgery.

Linus and Atif have to take care of Klara while Linus' parents go shopping in Sletta. Because the boys don't want her to go sledding with them, she runs away. After many adventures, they manage to bring her back home. As Klara has been lying all day, her parents don't believe her tall tales. Or has she really been to Japan?

Linus and his team are getting ready for the annual Svingen vs. Sletta cross-country skiing relay. Nure has an accident, so they ask Victoria, who is doubtful, as she is from Sletta. But notorious Sletta bully Harriet makes her change her mind. Though Biggen is their coach, Marvin keeps interfering, jeopardizing their chances.

Atif is intent on watching a TV documentary on bears, but his family sticks with Nigella Lawson. As Muslims, they also express concern about his growing desire to get involved in Christmas activities. Atif runs out and begs his friends to watch at their homes, but by the time he arrives at Victoria's place, the program is over. Victoria's mother suggests they listen to the radio instead, because it stimulates your imagination. But the children outdo themselves by pretending to run their own Radio Svingen station.

Marvin clearly loathes visiting his in-laws for Christmas, and can't stop carping and joking about them while driving to their home, to the utter dismay of Agnetha. On their arrival, Linus subtly tries to reconcile them, but Klara blurts out Marvin's misbehavior to her grandparents, creating an extremely awkward situation.

It's December 13th, Saint Lucia's day, and the children endlessly argue over who should act as Lucia and get to wear the crown of candles, leading the procession. This is also because they think the tradition could or should be opened up to include dark-haired girls or boys. Finally, they arrive at a neat solution satisfactory to all.

When Biggen and the children are having a snowball fight, Åsa accidentally hits Mrs. Wold. The old lady is so angry she insults Biggen's parenting skills. Åsa fiercely defends her father, and the situation quickly escalates when the children decide to throw snowballs at Mrs. Wold while she is driving home, making her car swerve and hit a tree. In panic, they flee into the forest, fearing they can never return.

Agnetha and Marvin are having such a terrible row about Marvin's impulsive, irresponsible behavior, that Linus leaves the house in frustration. Victoria makes matters worse by suggesting to Linus that they should get a divorce. Fortunately, he and Klara hit on a bright idea to rekindle their parents' relationship.

It looks like everyone in Svingen has taken to making bets or gambling, except Atif and his family, because Muslims aren't allowed to. Still, Børre tricks Atif and Nure into playing bingo. Even after Atif is lectured by his father, Børre can't give up cheating. But Nure soon feels remorse.

Åsa has an insatiable craving for sweets again, so Biggen advises the children to celebrate 'Julebukk', that is to dress up as elves, go from door to door to sing songs, and get candy and cakes as a reward. Actually, tradition dictates they are supposed to go after Christmas, which is one of the reasons they collect so little. Then fashionable Victoria has the novel idea of 'pimping' the age-old act.

Nure is eagerly looking forward to the skiing trip he won, but his overprotective mother nearly cancels the vacation, fearing for his safety. On arrival at the resort, she still insists on staying inside the hotel, but Nure has his way and they start skiing, with completely unforeseen consequences.

Åsa's mother is a circus performer in the French Cirque du Amazon, and as they happen to be appearing in Sletta, she sends her daughter and her ex-husband Biggen free tickets. Victoria, however, doesn't believe her story, and Åsa gets furious. After finding out that Biggen is unable to go, because he is forced to fix a car, a very upset Åsa secretly arranges the trip on her own. But then wicked Harriet from Sletta interferes.

Linus and his friends have built a big snow castle, only to have it captured by Harriet and her gang from Sletta. The Svingen children come up with clever plans to take it back.

Børre gets an ill-advised air rifle from his father for Christmas, and wastes no time in ruining it by accidentally shooting a hole in one of the tires on Mrs. Wold's new car. Atif wants to help him raise money for a new tire. The boys get inspiration from Åsa and the other girls selling gingerbread houses along the road.

Marvin has forgotten to buy a Christmas tree, and now Biggen is sold out. So Marvin proposes to cut down a free in the forest, but Akaya protests, as she believes living trees should be spared. Marvin and the children decide to turn it into a competition. If the children find a dead tree first, they win. Unfortunately, they happen to stray into Mrs. Wold's domain.

Victoria's parents Vera and Arne Olav are holding a farewell party for Akaya and her parents, as they are going on a tropical vacation. It will also be the occasion of a nativity play for the village community performed by all the children, with Marvin again devising special effects, and Linus acting as stage manager, but nothing goes as planned.

It's Christmas Eve in Svingen. After opening nothing but empty boxes all through Advent, Linus is extremely impatient to find out what his real Christmas present will be. Akaya is saying goodbye to her friends before her tropical vacation, and Nure and his mother Grete are trying to come to terms with the loss of his father. Børre and his mother Lucy aren't sure what to have for Christmas dinner. In the end, everything turns out alright, and the children promise to look at the stars at night to keep thinking of each other.