Will Ferrell Explains Swedish Christmas Traditions | FULL INTERVIEW | The Jonathan Ross Show

While trying a popular liquor from Sweden, Will Ferrell explains Christmas traditions and together sing a Christmas song from the country.
#WillFerrel #Christmas #Interview
[Airdate: 14 December 2013]
Subscribe to The Jonathan Ross Show KZbin channel for weekly videos and the best bits from the show: / thejonathanrossshow
Follow our Instagram page for weekly updates: / thejonathanrossshowoff...
Follow the show on Twitter: / jrossshow
Follow the show on Facebook: / thejonathanrossshow

[@danielthomas7117]

This is from Dec 2013 - in case you got excited that’s it’s new. What a legend.

[@H_Oscarsson]

Some correct facts about swedish christmas traditions. :) Lighting a candle in a window was a tradition in the middle ages and it was a way to guide baby Jesus. The candle represented the star of Bethlehem. Very few people do this nowdays. Today we use lamps in the shape of a star in our windows instead. The fact that we in Sweden, and the rest of the nordic countries, celebrate Christmas on the "wrong" day is a remnant from Catholic times when vigils were held the night before a holiday. Also in the middle ages the day was not considered to begin in the morning, but rather at the evening before. In Sweden and throughout the Nordics, we still celebrate so-called "aftnar" (evenings), and that is why we celebrate Christmas on December 24th. Lye treated cod fish is a dish on christmas. Nobody eats it, but it has to be there. Goose blood soup, or Black Soup, is not at traditional christmas dish. It's primarily eaten on the Mårtensafton, Mårten's eve, on the 11th of november. Mostly only the most southern parts of Sweden that celebrate this today. Think it's more popular in Denmark than in Sweden. You're welcome! :)

[@tecsmith_info]

Tack så myket

[@d95mback]

The drinking and singing is correct, though. And we do this for easter and midsummer's eve too, because why not.

[@Enharjar]

Pfft alot of us eat "lutfisk" and love it.

[@AndersTornqvistsvedbergh]

Also it's not even "Christmas" in Sweden, it's still called "Jul", way older stuff than Baby Jesus

[@nerdgirl8978]

What are you talking about? I know several people that eat Lye cod fish at Christmas, including myself. It's really tasty with mustard sauce, boiled potatoes and green peace. (Though it's important to not use tableware made of silver or having old amalgam fillings in your teeth repairs- it will taste like battery in your mouth then)

[@joagargo01]

Swedish wife, I now understand the Eurovison movie.

[@richardjohnson9167]

The terrible euro vision move

[@antonvrb1510]

​@@richardjohnson9167Agreed, that was a dud. I am a massive fan, but could not make it through the Sherlock mess of a movie. He certainly does have his many moments of genius though. Have you seen him in Eastbound and down? He has done so much and they certainly are not all winners. Twain award is nothing to smirk at. I feel he did deserve it.

[@malinpeh]

@@antonvrb1510Its the biggest brand of pickled herring 😅

[@gnarbeljo8980]

They spend alot of time in Sweden in their house in the countryside outside Stockholm. They love it because they, their kids, dogs the whole family os never bigged by the public out and about, Swedes leave celebrities alone to be regular people.

[@antonvrb1510]

@@gnarbeljo8980 nice!

[@jimigrill]

The way he never skips a beat, so much respect for this guy.

[@Tapio86]

"Like a Swedish vodka"😂 Like Swedes don't have the most famous/widely marketed vodka already in Absolut Vodka. Akvavit is not the same as vodka.

[@ritaveronicaelvakerhaande7623]

Aquavit is made of potato. You have Løitens which are shipped in oakbarrels over the eqautor and back on boats. Maybe therefore you can Get a bit seasick, If you catch My drift😉

[@ljclark2177]

I don’t understand why I’m getting old clips of jonathan Ross in my feed…and that they’ve only been posted 4 days ago!!?? I want NEW clips if anything at all!!!!

[@CharlieTWilbury]

Will Ferrell handles an interview as well as anyone ever has. What a guest. Man, he makes it easy on the host, especially a good one like Jonathan.

[@MiBzAn]

I grew up with the celebrations on Christmas Eve - our family are German. We also sing, eat weird stuff and open presents that night. We had Advent and Nicholaus instead if Santa - which confused me to no end as a child lollll ❤

[@sixty9design]

That episode had such a brilliant lineup. Will, Gillian, & Beckham. **Swedish chef's kiss**

[@josephinenilsson1541]

We do have a song called Helan går (the one he sang at the end). It’s not a Christmas song though, it’s a snapsvisa (a song you sing when drinking snaps). I did not know Ferrell had a Swedish wife; cool 😂

[@CARLIN4737]

Been a long time since i cried with laughter. What a funny guy and a great sport.

[@vegardyrnes1793]

Akevitt is sooo necessary at Christmas her in the north. With rib, lambs meat and everything else that goes with it. Happy Christmas, each and everyone. Vegar, Norway

[@niklastorshagen6365]

And glögg 😄

[@shelleydoxtdator753]

David Beckham - what a sport 😂😂😂. “Smells like a former British soccer player “ 😮😂😂😂❤

[@TheHollomap]

I am an American with a swedish wife. Janssons, princekorv, sill and äggost. That is traditional jul food. That plus a bunch of other stuff. A sandwich table, potatoes, meatballs I could go on. Oh and plenty of booze.

[@jesperengkvist9908]

Vafan är äggost?

[@TheHollomap]

@@jesperengkvist9908 You have a very Swedish name. If you don't know what it is....... A quick Google will update you.

[@erik3371]

Vafan är äggost?

[@TheHollomap]

du vet för helvete

[@elwyberge6286]

Hihi, beeing Swedish this is so funny😊😅❤

[@nomad1517]

Will Farrell is like Jim Carrey, but without the physical comedy. He's like your average joe, but on the inside, it's comedic insanity.

[@steveo7767]

Those two in a movie together would be fantastic!

[@FranciscoSantini-nx3yg]

You should watch Anchorman 2 then​@@steveo7767

[@Wildman-zh8lg]

He doesn't have to try to be funny and he's funny

[@mrthorbjrnolsendk6561]

Not only in Sweden but in Scandinavia akvavit is a tradition.

[@wikingsweden7464]

Is it? Lived in sweden all my life and never even tasted aquavit and have never seen anyone have at a party or at home in my 52 years...

[@tunedsoundz]

@@wikingsweden7464Är du verkligen Svensk? 🤷‍♂️💙

[@RobinAsp77]

​@@wikingsweden7464finns olika typer av aqvavit, skåne kanske?

[@bennyandersen9272]

@@wikingsweden7464 Which Sweden is that?

[@maroon2k]

@@wikingsweden7464Inlagd sill, testat det nån gång? Köttbullar, du kanske inte har provat men åtminstone hört talas om dem?

[@bojonas]

for you non-swedish-speakers out there... the snaps-sång "Helan går" sounds like this (not the actual meaning of the words though); "Hell and gore, Chung hop father Allan ley Hell and gore, Chung hop father Allan ley Oh handsome in the hell and tar and hell are in the half and four Hell and gore, Chung hop father Allan ley".

[@elisabethsmith6206]

At Christmas we drink spiced brandy to our herrings and ham; Herrgårds Akvavit, Skåne and O.P. Anderssons are some of them. 😊

[@niklastorshagen6365]

You mean glögg?

[@jamesbutler6253]

The standard traditional Swedish food is a baked ham, various types herring, ditto salmon, lutfisk (the lye cod he mentioned), meatballs, a potato gratin with anchovies, and an oven omelette with chantarelles Gooseblood soup has nothing at all to do with Swedish xmas.

[@GuinevereKnight]

True, but omelette? What part of Sweden is that in? That must be very local.

[@helenestiernstrand6575]

@@GuinevereKnightNo its not local but its an older tradition so many leave it out fr the Christmas bouffét.

[@niklastorshagen6365]

@@GuinevereKnight We always have omelette, but it's cooked in the oven

[@MarleanSweden]

Gooseblood soup is just in the southern part of Sweden so Will might have missed it. Its also rather a fall dish rather than a Xmas one. Lye fish is also around Xmas, but you eat ham on Xmas eve more.

[@syster3746]

Gooseblood soup is only for the 10th of november when it's Mårten gås. So no christmas tradition😊

[@RobertClaeson]

Yes, only in the very far south.

[@Jonsson474]

Agreed. Having goose blood soup not a Swedish tradition. They only have that in the southern colonies, the conquered areas.

[@syster3746]

@@Jonsson474 Börjar gräva nu🤣

[@Jonsson474]

@@syster3746 😉

[@mavetyan]

Two very fine entertainers at their best.

[@stephendineen4419]

Unreal. Two Legends together. 😉👍

[@Alicedoesart]

No, they haven’t all had facelifts. It’s 2013 footage.

[@johnnyaxelsson6666]

One of the greatest comedy acctors... 🙏🙏Välkommen till Sverige wil.. I like when he get out of control🤣🤣.. Take care will 🧙‍♂️🙏🍀

[@supertotoro]

Hahaha, his english translation of the drinking song ”helan går” even though it sounded like he made it up, the last part Will said is actually correct. And even though he didnt sing the song perfectly Im still very impressed. Bonus fact, his wife is definitely not from southern sweden because thats where they eat geese blood, even though that is known by most swedes even though very local tradition, a foreigner would not know if only been to Stockholm.

[@novineux1246]

I'm from the south of sweden and I've never heard of it :S

[@supertotoro]

@@novineux1246 svartsoppa. Googla :)

[@Sebastianwiberg]

@@novineux1246 Agree, this guy must be from middle of sweden.

[@oliverchristian2437]

I'm from the south of Sweden, and I have off course heard of geese blood soup - but it's mostly called "svartsoppa" ("black soup" in English). It was also correct that many of us Swedes eat stockfish/whitefish prepared with lye at Christmas Eve - some of us combine this fish with fried pork, and the most of us eat strong mustard to it (too). Delicious!

[@novineux1246]

@@oliverchristian2437 var i södern? Jag bor i blekinge o jag har aldrig hört talas om det :O

[@katarina1117]

You will probably see Akvavit at any holiday celebration in Sweden and hear "helan går" about a 100 times every year 😅 I'm suprised swedish babies doesn't pop out of their mothers singing helaan gååååår 😁

[@zoodiac57]

:DDD gotta visit Sweden then

[@ThePatrikable]

To be honest, it was atleast 15 years ago since I heard helan går at any party in sweden. That tradition is simply dead

[@DAAR53]

Aldrig hört talas som det :/, måste lära mig att fira riktigt svensk jul antar jag

[@SilverionX]

Surprisingly, traditions vary depending on location and family. Christmas with my mother includes one very small shot of spirits and a song, at my dad everyone has to write a rhyme for every present. Personally, it wouldn't be Christmas for me without the Donald Duck Christmas special. I don't know if there is such a thing as "real" Christmas.

[@macjonte]

Helan går is definitely not dead. At any celebration, mostly midsummer, crayfish or julfest there is aquavit, silly songs and the herring in the jar that someone spent an unworthy amount of time putting in there. By the way, the julfest is not on Christmas Eve but during the month before and booked in September. In many families the Christmas Eve is for the kids and you don’t have that much alcohol. Not at least until they’ve passed out under the Christmas tree, exhausted after a long day.

[@SilverionX]

The reason we, and a large number of other European countries, celebrate Christmas on the 24th is that in the middle ages a new day started when the sun goes down. Since it goes down at like 3 in the afternoon it does make sense to start celebrating then. From a cursory search the candle in the window was to guide baby Jesus. There are a lot of other candle based traditions as well.

[@hfranke07]

I am danish and we too sing some snaps (aquavit) songs for family dinners.... Heland Går is one of them. Helvand is to drink the whole (hel) snaps. Then we have halvvand (half water) to drink half the snaps, and later we have "Den lille tredie mand" (The little theird man).... and this goes on and on and on.....

[@TheGloryHole16]

Ferrell for me, his best acting was ‘Ashley Schaeffer’ from Eastbound and Down 👌🏽

[@stevenosullivan187]

My plumbs

[@kronbakeren]

I pissed me self launghing! im a dane, swedish neighbour , we drink akvavit as well and open presents on 24th in the evening ..

[@Gencoil]

The thing about Swedish holiday foods is they're all kind of copy and paste. For Easter, Midsommar and Christmas you're always going to find potatoes, pickled herring, meatballs, prinskorv (mini sausages), eggs, brännvin (spiced liquor) and/or aquavit on the table. And we have a non-alcoholic drink called julmust which is kind of like cola but not quite, it feels a bit like a cross between cola and ale and produces quite a lot of foam when you pour it. In Easter we basically drink the exact same thing but relabel it påskmust (easter must) 😅

[@marcoszambrano7287]

Ikea's jokes never get old, they fit in for any swedish fun conversation... Also, swedish meatballs and ABBA.

[@jojotheswede8444]

ABBA the band or the fish?

[@marcoszambrano7287]

@@jojotheswede8444 the band, didn't know there was a fish called that too.

[@jojotheswede8444]

@@marcoszambrano7287 well, it's a company who sells a lot of fish and such

[@april7_]

and they use their Sauna wrong way, just cooking themself in the hot room without tossig water to the hot stones as it should do! Yes one angry Finn here! 😁

[@lillangen]

I'm Swedish and I've never been in a Scandinavian style sauna where you don't keep adding water to the hot stones throughout the experience. Not sure where you're getting your facts from @@april7_

[@gregorcollins]

Aside from the obvious, WF's comedic mastermind, it's his unselfishness during interviews, never stepping on the host's sentences, committing to his bits but ready to shut up if the interviewer starts their own - just the consummate, humble professional.

[@SuperSimpleTurtle]

As others have mentioned, the song at the end “Helan går” is a song you can sing at any festivity, not at Christmas specifically. The song is traditionally sung as the first song during a feast. The translation given by Will Ferrel is literally correct. However, even if the word Helan means “the whole” in the contexts of drink it means the first. Halvan (the half) means the second, and so on. So what the song actually says is that if you don’t take the first one you don’t get the second one.

[@suziperret468]

Love me some Will Ferrell!

[@andytraill]

Future classic. Amazing.

[@santadeville242]

Whatever he says...whenever...to whomever...it sounds hilariously funny!

[@mathiasjonsson8222]

They should have sung "Hej tomtegubbar slå i glasen" instead of "Helan går"😂

[@robstimson4234]

These 2 play off of each other excellently. ls this a Jonathan Ross superpower or is this a singularity?

[@Sebastianwiberg]

mmm gooseblood, we have that everyday.

[@richardpreston5260]

will farrell is brilliant i love him when he meets roy keane to see a global superstar like him get star struck by roy keane was brilliant

[@igorbrezovic]

That guy is a natural treasure...

[@dianefiske-foy4717]

Great actor and funny guy! Great interview!

[@erikcox8749]

The classic Old Spice I saw that bottle in both of my grandfather's bathroom cabinets as a kid. I used to love to watch my Papaw shave, I thought it was so cool and today I hate to shave 😂 but I sure miss him. Love ya Papaw✌️💙

[@rasmusisaksson7838]

I never understood that song until now. Always heard it! 😂

[@tracy5014]

Just love Will Ferrell; such a funny man.

[@magnuslarsson9702]

The goose blood soup is only in southern of Sweden. Never tried it myself.

[@marietornell6058]

Vad är det på svenska? Gås-blod-soppa? Vad fn är det? Julskinka, köttbullar, Janssons och revbensspjäll ska det vara.

[@magnuslarsson9702]

Någon får gärna rätta mig om jag har fel, men jag har svårt att tro dom refererar till något annat än den skånska landskapsrätten svartsoppa :)@@marietornell6058

[@HansenSWE]

Svartsoppa@@marietornell6058

[@MegaSchremser]

Svartsoppa. Jag tror någon har blandat ihop Mårtensafton och julafton.

[@hbg70]

And you're wrong. If you don't know then shut up

[@heidimarie1198]

two entertainers - and a person who kicks a ball

[@user-gq6sf4si6j]

Yay Anchorman 2 is out in 2 weeks everybody

[@johnfitzgerald1769]

This is from 10 years ago so Anchorman 2 has been out a long time

[@user-gq6sf4si6j]

@@johnfitzgerald1769 🤣🤣🤣

[@NevilleBamshu23]

​@@johnfitzgerald1769deeerp..

[@krissanders987]

Yes! I can’t wait! I haven’t seen it in 10 years lol

[@distractionb]

The look on Jillian Anderson's face says it all. <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="220">3:40</a>

[@TidyRC]

It’s Gillian. And she’s a very game girl always having a good time. Watch her top gear interview. She has the cheekiest laugh

[@christinarowe8586]

Will Farr ROCKS!!!💗💕

[@bobbyboucher4101]

Will is amazing.

[@nocturne7371]

Nice to see OP Andersson Akvavit being a thing in Amercan television!

[@paulmcc2006]

Love Will Farrell.

[@TheMetalnight666]

Haha but the song isn´t a Swedish "jul" song it´s a "snapsvisa" used at some social party´s here in Sweden.

[@TidyRC]

Who claps along to LL Cool J’s I need love. Well weird 😵‍💫

[@MultiVince95]

Saturday 14th December 2013

[@Katalog-lw2ry]

It goes on like that for the whole evening till the bottles are empty😅

[@pattiwhite9575]

Wills fashion is on point. That suit is very handsome.

[@eivindkaisen6838]

Your "royal" family also open their presents of Christmas Eve; it's a tradition Queen Victoria's Pice Albert frought with him from Germany.

[@sarahharrison8520]

“From IKEA” brilliant

[@jarmopaakkonen2045]

Skåne Akvavit is da bomb🍸

[@Jorisje83]

Epic!

[@SoonGone]

The Kanye part is killing me 😆

[@RobertClaeson]

Lye fish is originally Norwegian. It doesn't taste anything, and the trimmings don't make it any better. Not very common these days. The English translation of "helan går" is, by the way, impeccable, in spirit.

[@HC20047]

OP Andersson is the best. And Will's translation is very accurate.

[@RobertClaeson]

It should perhaps also be mentioned that Akvavit is not just a plain "Swedish vodka". It's a spiced vodka. Plan Swedish vodka is Absolut and a number of others, e.g. not very different from any other vodka. But Akvavit is different. My personal favourite is Linie (from Norway).

[@HC20047]

Indeed. OP for "sill" and crayfish, Linie for Christmas.

[@Necronomous]

@@RobertClaeson Absolut made in Sweden but owned by a french corporation since 2008. Well, I dunno if you can call it Swedish if the brand ain't swedish anymore. I mean I got a Volvo v70, made in Sweden sure, but I calls it a american car made in Sweden. Last Volvo made under american flag, after that it went chinese. So nowdays it is a chinese car built in Sweden. But I don't agree it is a swedish car because it is built in Sweden. For me it has to be owned by a swedish corporation to be swedish. If a car was built in China, but was owned by a swedish corporation I would say that car are swedish. Or is it that something that are made in a country it is called by that country's name? I don't think for example Lamborghini would say themself that a Lambo was bulit in Sweden for a swedish car. In their eyes it would still be an italian car, just because they own the brand Lamborghini. The path are quite thin if you know what I mean.

[@mademoiselledusfonctionell1609]

Haha, not even the part that he didn't say he didn't know he did not know!

[@SteveDahlskog]

Goose blood soup is in November and the codfish is not that popular on the table at Xmas eve.

[@JamesAlexanderCarey-xt5pb]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="464">7:44</a> A mate of mine drank a bottle of Angostura bitters!

[@timz9862]

Who’s Jonathan Ross and why is he showing up on my KZbin feed all of a sudden?

[@petyahristova776]

Exactly? Why now?

[@bigboy0625]

Was thinking this was a new interview then they start talking his new film 😂

[@HollyRobertsMusic]

Lol yea same. Ten years ago. Will doesn't age so assumed it was him now

[@aerofoilmusic]

I’m not entirely sure, but I think lie treated codd is a traditional x-mas dish in Norway, called ‘Lutefisk’?

[@perssonkim]

Yes think that too, needs to be that classic old dish. Lutfisk :)

[@janemiettinen5176]

Same in Finland, I think its lye fish in English.

[@-Markus-]

That a traditional swedish christmas feast/dinner consists of multiple different dishes of various meats, fish and vegetables as well as drinks, beer, shots, candy and much more. More like a buffet and everyone can take from what they desire. It varies from place to place and with time its become ridden with christian symbology and meaning but originally and still it revolves around the feast and eating. Most swedes dont associate christmas with religion, its called "Yule" and we wish each other "happy Yule" not "merry christmas".

[@JamesAlexanderCarey-xt5pb]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="48">0:48</a> Shout out to Bob!

[@johncrook9519]

My grandparents were Swedish and a Swedish Xmas. I wouldn't give lutefisk to my worst enemy.

[@shar3066]

How can you not love it? With crisp bacon, green pea , my belly loves that type of food

[@TheErikjsm]

doesnt taste like anything imo neither good or bad.

[@California265]

My friends dog is the spitting image of will Ferrell

[@Katariinajokakuoli]

Send pictures

[@rheajb79]

We need a pic!

[@juliemoses1909]

Lutefisk is only traditional in Minnesota these days.

[@jayamay]

A little delayed with the upload 😂

[@massivebeatzz]

that was many years ago, when Beckham was younger.

[@gnlilu6972]

Will Ferrell looks sharp!

[@Tilten]

Anchorman 3: make it happen!

[@thesaint2700]

Old Spice. The scent of grandpa 😂

[@johnteniteni8423]

Good morning everybody from New Zealand 🇳🇿 John Teni Teni

[@MelinaJamiee]

“Drinking aquavit it’s like Swedish vodka” lol. Absolut Vodka is Swedish 😅

[@catharinakjerrulf17]

You have big gyatt 🥵🥵

[@brancothiel1025]

Hm. Absolut curious about this "Sweeden"... and their "Akvavit".

[@Iareawesome100]

should try besk next time for the real fun stuff

[@garenbalkhian69]

Who would’ve known these two would own football clubs in the MLS 😂

[@AxelFoleyDetroitLions]

Why was beck just a person viewing the show? Lmao 😂

[@jesclifford88]

They are in segments. He’d obviously not been on yet. They all end up on the sofa as the show goes on

[@Reznor1983]

Nobody eats the fish. Its just nice to know its there.

[@janereed4036]

Only ONE WILL!

[@MirageRaceway]

Empty V, hehe. Akevitt is something us Scandinavians drink when we want to self harm. (I did not know svensker did that too)

[@MrBlue-dm5li]

We do, especially at Christmas, midsummer and and the crayfish party’s in august🎉

[@LeifES]

Lye treated codfish = Lutefisk (no)/Lutfisk (se).

[@janemiettinen5176]

Aaand.. lipeäkala (FIN). We always have to be the weird ones..

[@thegraciefighter102]

This must have been filmed months ago

[@colleenkelly4311]

120 months ago ... give or take.

[@jimmywayne983]

Akvavit is Scandinavian and not exclusively Swedish 😉

[@joeschmoe3665]

This man is not a swede he's an imposter he's a drummer from America

[@NinaForever1]

That's not a Christmas song. It's a song you can sing at parties while drinking.

[@jootai]

Beckham looks like a young Ricky gervais like this

[@anette8656]

This is a very old video clip. If we take one of his children, he is not very little anymore, Magnus that Will mentioned is 20 years old.

[@theodorrichey]

Who’s David Backing?

[@jockohamaproductions8667]

this might make it easier for english speaking viewers: Hell and gore, hell and gore .. Chung hop father Allan lay .. Hel and gore, hell and gore .. chung hop father Allan lay