{"id":3176,"date":"2026-05-18T12:03:09","date_gmt":"2026-05-18T12:03:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kerstin-auf-reisen.ch\/?p=3176"},"modified":"2026-05-18T12:11:13","modified_gmt":"2026-05-18T12:11:13","slug":"17-may-2026-norways-national-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kerstin-auf-reisen.ch\/?p=3176&lang=en","title":{"rendered":"17 May 2026 \u2013 Norway\u2019s National Day"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Glomfjord – 17. Mai 2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

17 May is Norway\u2019s Constitution Day and national holiday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anyone expecting a military parade, long speeches, or anything similar would be completely mistaken.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For a long time, I had been curious about how Norwegians celebrate their national day. Before my trip, my Norwegian friends told me that I absolutely had to bring \u201csomething really beautiful\u201d to wear. That immediately made me even more excited and curious. So my black suit and a white blouse went into my suitcase \u2014 along with a great deal of anticipation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the evening of 16 May, there was already a little pre-celebration. This is not necessarily a tradition, it just happened naturally. While I was out shopping, you could already feel the excitement for the big day everywhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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On the morning of 17 May, we first went to church. Several children\u2019s choirs were singing there \u2014 not during a traditional church service, but rather as part of a joyful gathering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What impressed me most was the festive clothing: women wearing traditional bunads, men in elegant suits, and of course the children all dressed up as well. Even the smallest babies in strollers looked perfectly dressed for the occasion. At that moment, I finally understood why I had been told to bring \u201csomething really beautiful\u201d to wear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Everyone held a small Norwegian flag in their hands, and smiling faces were everywhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After church, the parade through the town began. At the front drove a large yellow fire truck playing Norwegian music through its loudspeakers. People standing along the streets waved their flags, smiled, and happily greeted the parade. The atmosphere felt incredibly warm and relaxed at the same time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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One moment touched me especially deeply: the parade stopped in front of a retirement home, and suddenly everything became quiet. The fire truck started playing \u201cJa, vi elsker dette landet\u2026\u201d (\u201cYes, we love this country\u2026\u201d). The residents standing at the windows and on the balconies waved back with their small flags. It was such a warm and human moment. I found it beautiful that even those who could no longer participate themselves were still included in the celebration this way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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song<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n