Ely Grandma Vows to Save Christmas, USPS by Shipping Lutefisk to Entire Extended Family

ELY — There’s something fermenting in Northern Minnesota that just might be the answer to turning out this year’s cheer and postage deficit. Ely Grandmother Norma Ingebretsen plans on mailing each member of her extended family a pound of lutefisk in time for Christmas. 

“There’s 54 Ingebretsens and I’m excited to give them a few mouthfuls of my love!” Ingebretsen shared. “And I know that the postal service could use all the postage they can get so I feel like this is going to work out great.”

Typically, Norma provides Lutefisk for her entire family at Christmas in person but has accepted that she must choose a more distanced approach to gift giving this year. 

“Lutefisk isn’t as much a food as it is a feeling. You have to chew and chew and chew and all of the good memories of what Christmas is all about come back to you. You remember that you’re with family because they’re all there with you, near and far, chewing too.”

While Ingebretsen has her work cut out for her, preparing, packaging and shipping many pounds of lutefisk, she looks forward to the project.

 “The fact that I can help my family and the postal service is really what’s keeping me going. And, if this little project gets the attention of that tall, cold glass of milk, Randy Shaver then so be it! He’s married but that could change. That could change.”