Decking the halls of history: The origins of Christmas decorations
This article was written by Anne Lawrence-Mathers, Professor in Medieval History, University of Reading. The idea of hanging up decorations in the middle of winter…
Holidays
Norway’s annual Christmas tree gift to England mocked online
“Are we at war with Norway now?” joked a few British social media users underwhelmed by Norway’s gift. The tree has been called “wonky” and…
Christmas and commerce have long gone together like two turtle doves
The author of this article is Philip Hancock, Professor of Work and Organization at the University of Essex. The “spirit of Christmas” is all about…
Who was Libuše Šafránková, star of “Tre nøtter til Askepott”?
If you have ever taken part in a Norwegian Christmas celebration, you’ll know that watching “Tre nøtter til Askepott” is an absolute must. But how…
Norwegian Christmas ad with gay Santa goes viral
The Norwegian postal service Posten recently released a Christmas commercial called “When Harry met Santa.” Santa and his new boyfriend shortly went viral. Posten’s video,…
The holly and the ivy: How pagan practices found their way into Christmas
This article was written by Peter Glaves, Enterprise Fellow at Northumbria University, Newcastle. Every year, almost without thinking about it, we incorporate certain plant species…
PHOTOS: World’s largest gingerbread town in Bergen open for the season
Pepperkakebyen is Bergen’s annual Christmas miracle. Bergen’s beloved gingerbread town – aka, Pepperkakebyen – has kicked off for the 2021 Christmas season. A crowd favorite,…
In Norway, three times more people plan on going to Christmas parties in 2021 than 2020
14% of Norwegians surveyed believe Christmas will still be different this year due to the pandemic, while half plan on attending a Christmas party, Opinion’s…
From scary stories to scowling pumpkins, Halloween has pagan roots
The author of this article is Bill Hughes, Professor of Gothic Studies at Bath Spa University. Halloween these days calls pumpkins to mind, cackling witches,…
PHOTO GALLERY: See how Norwegians celebrate Halloween
Norwegians seemingly can’t get enough of the spooky celebration, even though it’s a relatively new phenomenon in Norway. From trick-or-treat to pumpkins and fancy dress…
How do modern-day witches mark Halloween?
This article was written by Helen A. Berger, Resident Scholar at Brandeis University and sociologist doing research on contemporary pagans for over 30 years. The original title…
Bergen, Norway is home to the world’s largest gingerbread town
This Christmas season, why not head to Bergen and go sightseeing in the world’s largest gingerbread town? Gingerbread cookies (“pepperkaker” in Norwegian) are the heart…
A rundown of Halloween in Norway: How, what, and why?
Halloween, although originally an American tradition, has effectively made its way into Norwegian culture. Here’s all you need to know about the spooky celebration and…
25 festive facts about December 25 in Norway
God Jul! We’re bringing you 25 things you need to know about Christmas in Norway. 1. Many Norwegians opt to spend the Christmas holiday period…
60% to spend summer holiday in Norway
6 out of 10 Norwegians will spend the summer holiday in Norway this year Last year’s record-warm summer has had an impact on Norwegians’ summer…
Christians skeptical to change the holidays
Christians skeptical to change the holidays Leader of the Christian Democrats, Knut Arild Hareide, disagrees with the proposal to changes to the “red” days in…
Do you book your holidays online?
In the EU, 49% of internet users said in 2016 that they booked their holiday accommodation or travel via the internet. This share was highest…
Want to cruise around in your car?
Want to cruise around in your car? If you are looking to cruise around in your gas guzzling car, and you are not interested in…
724 millions worth of holiday’s will be booked over the next few weeks
When Christmas foods are all eaten, and the presents have been opened, we start planning for next year’s summer vacation. Over the next five weeks,…
Experts: Norwegian krone will strengthen – the holidays will become cheaper
Currency Experts predict a further strengthening of the Norwegian krone. This means that vacations now will be cheaper for Norwegians. The major downturn in the…
