Norwegian culture is unique, and we do some weird things that seem very strange to foreigners and tourists. So check out this category for posts about Norwegian culture, from old traditions to contemporary cultural happenings.
If you’re arriving in Norway by cruise ships, odds are that you’re going to be greeted by anti-cruising posters that will say something along the lines of “Cruise ship tourists go home” (or something more graphic). These are pretty common in most big cruise ship ports all over Europe, and Norway is no different. But … Read more
Black metal has a long and rich history in Norway, and many people consider Norway to be the home of modern black metal because of bands like Mayhem and Darkthrone that became popular in the 90s. The music genre has long been regarded as Norway’s biggest cultural export, and Norway and black metal is forever … Read more
Norwegians are obsessed with cabins and cottages, or hytter as we call them, and you will find that Norwegians use every opportunity to spend as much time in their cabins as possible. But what exactly are Norwegian cabins, why do Norwegians love them so highly, and what should you do if you’re invited to spend … Read more
It’s a well-known fact that Norwegians have a high level of knowledge of the English language, and most tourists can do fine with only speaking English when they visit Norway and want to interact with Norwegians. But what type of English do Norwegians use in their everyday life? Norwegians are taught British English in school, … Read more
Norway is home to many unique dishes, and many of them are clearly affected by a region with little access to species and different types of meat. Some of the Norwegian dishes include Norwegian meatballs, sodd, lapskaus, and Christmas food like pinnekjøtt and ribbe (pork ribs). But which dish is considered Norway’s national dish, and … Read more
Christmas is the most important holiday celebration in Norway, and has a huge cultural importance for the Norwegian people. But what do Norwegians even call Christmas in Norwegian? The Norwegian word for Christmas is jul. This word originates from the word for jol, the ancient Norse celebration (called Yule in English). We Norwegians still refer … Read more
Norway has many unique Christmas traditions that you simply won’t find anywhere else in the world, and one of these are what we call julebord. Julebord, which can be translated to “Christmas table” is a classic Norwegian holiday tradition where groups (typically all employees at a workplace) go out to eat Christmas food and drink … Read more
Thanksgiving is one of the biggest holidays in the United States, but it’s also celebrated in many other countries around the world. But do Norwegians celebrate Thanksgiving? Norwegians do not celebrate Thanksgiving, and there has never been any interest in adapting this holiday here in Norway. However, many Norwegian-descended Americans celebrate Thanksgiving in the United … Read more
Norway and Norwegians have many quirks that will shock anyone who is coming from abroad to visit! We’re going to be taking a closer look at the 11 most shocking things to foreigners who visit Norway here, so stick around to learn all 11 things that will shock you about Norway. 1) There’s whale meat … Read more
If you’re going to be guessing what a random Norwegian family has for dinner on Friday night, the most likely answer is taco! We Norwegians love our Friday taco, called fredagstaco in Norwegian. This cultural phenomenon has garnered nationwide popularity, and practically everyone eats tacos on Fridays in Norway. So, what’s eating the Norwegain Friday … Read more