https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Norway in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed Norwegians celebrate Midsummer by lighting bonfires on June 23rd, the eve of the Christian festival of the Nativity of John the Baptist, or Sankthansaften. Here are the best places to enjoy the festivities. https://www.thelocal.no/20250623/the-best-places-to-celebrate-sankthans-in-oslo Mon, 23 Jun 2025 13:47:34 +0200 the-best-places-to-celebrate-sankthans-in-oslo Although Sankthans is technically on June 24th, Norwegians celebrate with bonfires marking the occasion the night before. https://www.thelocal.no/20210622/what-is-sankthans-how-norwegians-mark-the-middle-of-summer Tue, 22 Jun 2021 11:34:33 +0200 what-is-sankthans-how-norwegians-mark-the-middle-of-summer Summer is loved for its long days and warm temperatures. Across large parts of Norway, the sun doesn’t set at all in a phenomenon called the midnight sun. https://www.thelocal.no/20230628/what-you-need-to-know-about-the-midnight-sun-in-norway Wed, 28 Jun 2023 15:37:21 +0200 what-you-need-to-know-about-the-midnight-sun-in-norway Every year, Norway celebrates a unique tradition called russetid, or russefeiring. But this year, early May was unusually quiet, with no crowds of teenagers in their colourful costumes. https://www.thelocal.no/20260518/russefeiring-why-norways-wild-graduation-season-started-late-this-year Mon, 18 May 2026 12:56:23 +0200 russefeiring-why-norways-wild-graduation-season-started-late-this-year Norway's Constitution Day, marked on May 17th, is the most widely celebrated day in the country. The festive atmosphere can be felt in every city and town in Norway, making it an exceptional experience. https://www.thelocal.no/20230516/why-does-norway-celebrate-may-17th Tue, 16 May 2023 13:25:57 +0200 why-does-norway-celebrate-may-17th With Norway's National Day coming up on Sunday May 17th, The Local asked readers what they make of the celebrations as foreign residents in the country. https://www.thelocal.no/20260515/im-proud-to-live-here-how-foreigners-in-norway-feel-about-national-day Fri, 15 May 2026 14:52:56 +0200 im-proud-to-live-here-how-foreigners-in-norway-feel-about-national-day May 17th is one of the most important days in Norway. The celebration of the signing of the Norwegian Constitution is fraught with a few faux pas that are easy to make as a foreigner. https://www.thelocal.no/20230515/key-things-you-absolutely-shouldnt-do-on-may-17th-in-norway Mon, 15 May 2023 16:43:36 +0200 key-things-you-absolutely-shouldnt-do-on-may-17th-in-norway Norway's traditional national costume, the bunad, plays a massive role in special events in the Scandinavian country and is of great cultural importance. https://www.thelocal.no/20210930/bunads-what-you-need-to-know-about-norways-national-costume Thu, 30 Sep 2021 17:31:17 +0200 bunads-what-you-need-to-know-about-norways-national-costume For many Norwegians, May 17th is even bigger than Christmas. Here are eight tips for getting the most out of the nation's most important celebration. https://www.thelocal.no/20260513/how-you-can-celebrate-norways-national-day-on-may-17th Wed, 13 May 2026 13:32:16 +0200 how-you-can-celebrate-norways-national-day-on-may-17th Norway’s biggest day of the year is just around the corner. On May 17th, the country is filled with red, white, and blue as everyone celebrates Constitution Day, but we want to know what our readers really think about it. https://www.thelocal.no/20260511/have-your-say-how-do-you-feel-about-norways-national-day Mon, 11 May 2026 13:09:14 +0200 have-your-say-how-do-you-feel-about-norways-national-day On May 8th, Norway celebrates its release from occupation during World War II. The day is called Liberation Day (Frigjøringsdagen), and it also doubles as the country's Veterans Day. https://www.thelocal.no/20230508/what-you-need-to-know-about-norways-liberation-day Mon, 08 May 2023 10:53:17 +0200 what-you-need-to-know-about-norways-liberation-day As the snow melts away and Norwegians emerge from their winter hibernation, April and May signal the start of something truly Norwegian: dugnad season. And foreigners shouldn't avoid it. https://www.thelocal.no/20250520/six-reasons-why-foreigners-shouldnt-skip-dugnad-in-norway Tue, 20 May 2025 13:51:50 +0200 six-reasons-why-foreigners-shouldnt-skip-dugnad-in-norway Over the next few days and weeks there will be several signs that Norway has emerged from its long winter hibernation and that spring has arrived. https://www.thelocal.no/20240307/six-signs-that-spring-has-arrived-in-norway Thu, 07 Mar 2024 13:23:57 +0100 six-signs-that-spring-has-arrived-in-norway Norwegians read more crime novels during Easter than anyone else on Earth. But how did the obsession with reading about grisly murders during the holiday come about? https://www.thelocal.no/20220407/paskekrim-why-norwegians-are-obsessed-with-crime-fiction-at-easter Thu, 07 Apr 2022 10:55:48 +0200 paskekrim-why-norwegians-are-obsessed-with-crime-fiction-at-easter In Norway, there are multiple public holidays during the Easter period, including Maundy Thursday (skjærtorsdag), Good Friday (langfredag), and Easter Monday (andre påskedag). Here's why – and how – Good Friday is marked in the country. https://www.thelocal.no/20230407/the-norwegian-way-of-observing-good-friday Fri, 07 Apr 2023 12:18:36 +0200 the-norwegian-way-of-observing-good-friday People in Denmark and Norway have the day off on Maundy Thursday, but people in Sweden still have to work. Why is this? https://www.thelocal.no/20240328/why-is-maundy-thursday-a-holiday-in-denmark-and-norway-but-not-sweden Thu, 28 Mar 2024 07:40:01 +0100 why-is-maundy-thursday-a-holiday-in-denmark-and-norway-but-not-sweden While many in Norway will be looking forward to a few days off over the Easter break, it’s important to ensure you aren’t caught out by reduced opening hours at businesses, cafes, and shops. https://www.thelocal.no/20250415/whats-open-and-whats-closed-in-norway-over-easter Tue, 15 Apr 2025 12:15:10 +0200 whats-open-and-whats-closed-in-norway-over-easter Yellow daffodils, longer days and sunshine. With the arrival of spring comes Easter, a holiday that has a distinctly more wintery feel in Norway compared to the rest of Europe. But how exactly do Norwegians celebrate Easter ? https://www.thelocal.no/20210322/skiing-and-kvikk-lunsj-how-norwegians-celebrate-easter-in-normal-times Mon, 22 Mar 2021 12:37:54 +0100 skiing-and-kvikk-lunsj-how-norwegians-celebrate-easter-in-normal-times Nisser are beloved by Norwegians, with the magical creatures playing a huge part in the country's Christmas traditions – however that wasn't always the case. https://www.thelocal.no/20231215/nisser-norways-love-of-barn-elves-and-gnomes Fri, 15 Dec 2023 16:11:30 +0100 nisser-norways-love-of-barn-elves-and-gnomes Rice porridge is a treasured Christmas Eve staple in Norway, but in recent years, more and more Norwegians have started eating porridge throughout the festive period. https://www.thelocal.no/20221215/why-norwegians-cant-get-enough-of-rice-porridge-in-december Thu, 15 Dec 2022 16:29:47 +0100 why-norwegians-cant-get-enough-of-rice-porridge-in-december