Being Norwegian

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Norwegian historical events

Norway wins aganst Brasil, 2-1

2. Norway was declared independant from Sweden (Union Dissolvement Day)

Signing The Constitution

4.Oddvar Braa breaks his ski pole in Oslo during the World Cup in 1982. 5.The Olympic Games on Lillehammer in 1994

6.The Battle of Stiklestad (death of Olav the Sacred). This was on July 29, 1030 .

7.Nokas robbery, and the stealing of «Skrik» and «Madonna» (made by Edvard Munch.) In 2004.

8.Norway participated in football World Cup in 1994 in USA.

8.Bobby Sox wins Grand Prix melody contest with the song: «La det svinge la det rock'n roll» in 1985

10.King Olav paying his ticket on the trolley, in public. In 1973.

Easter Traditions:

family
Easter holiday
Skiing
cottage
decoration
Easter egg
Easter crime
church
Sun burned
orange

Family: one of our Easter traditions is that we gather the whole family for an Easter party in one of the evenings of the Easter week. Then we're eating dinner and cake. It's a very cosy evening and a good chance to talk to the parts of the family you seldom see. But that's not the single time that you spend with you're family, since almost everyone is off work in the Easter, you're with your closest all the time.

Easter holiday: Easter holiday is something that we have that one week of Easter. In that week it's skiing and going to their cottage that's on many's minds, but also relaxing at home with your family. Easter is a time to relax, be with your family and celebrate Jesus' Resurrection.

Skiing: If there's snow, people usually go skiing and eat the Norwegian chocolate «Kvikk lunsj». They also drink hot cocoa when they're resting during the trip.

Cottage: Many people are used to going to their cottages in the Easter holiday. Most of the cottages in Norway are on the mountain, so it comes natural for many to go skiing on the trip. On the cottage, there is either just one family gathered, or several.

Decoration: There are not many houses where there's not any decoration for Easter. Yellow is the colour that we use for the decoration; both the lights, flower and tablecloth that we use during the Easter is yellow. Also chicken decoration is something you will find in many of in the houses and the stores. And because of all the yellow decoration, it's not difficult to see that it's Easter.

Easter egg: The children often get a plastic egg filled with lots of candy. It varies between the families when they give the eggs to their children.

Easter crime: Easter crime is something that many Norwegians have to watch every night in the Easter. Easter crime is something that starts Maundy Thursday, and goes on the telly every evening the rest of the holiday. But we don't just look at crime on the telly, many also read books.

Church: Many people are used to going to the church during the Easter. Then the priest talks about Jesus' resurrection. They also sing songs about what happened to Jesus.

Sun burned: Some times when you're out in the nice weather, we forget to put on some sun lotion, and we usually get sun burned. This is something the Norwegians are known for.

Orange: This is a traditional fruit for families to bring on their ski- and cottage trips. It's been more popular for Norwegians to bring on their Easter trips over the years.

Top Ten destinations in Norway !

List of the top ten Norwegian destinations:

1.The Royal family and the castle in Oslo. The castle lies in Oslo, and it is where the King and the Queen live. Thousands of people visit this place every year. Top of the list!

2.Bø summerland. The biggest aqualand in Scandinavia is Bø Summerland. It's placed in the middle of Norway, in Telemark. One of the coolest attractions is a downspot called «Magasuget». If you dare to climp up all these 16 metres, and slide down that steep downspot, you'll feel a huge drag in your stomach!'

3.Tusenfryd. The biggest amusement park in Norway is called Tusenfryd. Here you can meet with huge roller-coasters, and the excitement is huge! Go there, for some joy!

4.Frogner park. This is a very popular park in Oslo. Among other things, there is a statue of a man called «Sinnataggen». This is one of the most visited sights in Norway. If you want to relax, Frognerparken is definitely something for you.

5.The North Cape. The northernmost point in Europe. You are guaranteed nature experience, and the entertaiment here is awesome. Those nature lovers out there, come to North Cape and Norway!

6.Bergen. A popular destination known for the mountains and fjords. The weather isn't always good, but you know what they say; If you don't like the weather, just wait an hour. The things to do are walking, take the trainlooking «Fløyen», relax or just have fun in a nice city!

7.Holmenkollen. Every year there is world-cup for the skijumpers in Holmenkollen. This is a big event for Norwegian people, as well as European peole! Thousands of people are so lucky that they can watch this jumping.

8.Jostedals glacier.This glacier is the biggest of its kind in the whole Europe. Its length is 60 metres, and some places it is 600 metre thick.

9.The Kristiansand zoo and amusement park. If you're a big family, and have young children, this is the place for you. You can watch many special animals, like snakes and giraffes. There is also something to do for the older persons. You can eat many places, and also here there is a downstop in water. Very fun!

10.Lillehammer. In 1994 the Olympic Winter Games were arranged in Lillehammer, and the atmosphere was great. Norwegian people did well here, for example Bjørn Dæhlie. The flame which was lit for the Olympic Games burns still, and it rekindles memories to come here!

Top Ten Christmas Activities

Top Ten Christmas Activities

1. Celebrate the 24th of December – We got to church and hear the Christmas Gospel

2. Family gatherings – It that time in the year that the family comes together.

3. Food – At Christmas we eat and make much food. As Christmas dinner, many people in Norway eat rack of lamb ribs, pork ribs or something called lutefisk. The latter is dried codfish prepared in a potash lye. We also make many different cookies. The tradition says that we ought to have seven different kinds. And many families are following this tradition.

4. Decoration – Around Christmas time we use a lot of different decorations such as stars in our windows to symbolise the star the wise men followed to Jesus. We also decorate with different kind of angels, Santa Clause figures and often red table cloths and candles. One thing many of us Norwegians decorate with during Christmas is the stable where Maria gave birth to Jesus Christ. The perhaps most used Christmas decorations is the typical Christmas tree, on which we put ribbons, electric lights and tinsel, for example.

5. Gifts - Norwegians are known for spending a lot of money in the Christmas time. Young people in Norway got big problems when they are telling people what they want for Christmas, because they can get almost everything they want.

6. Christmas carols- Music in Christmas times is a must have. People start singing Christmas songs as early as November, and it is one of the most important ingredients to get the right Chritmas spirit.

7. Television shows – During Christmas nearly all the TV channels in Norway broadcast Christmas related shows and movies. Many Norwegians watch these shows, and it is especially two shows called “Kvelden før kvelden” and “Hovmesteren” that are the most popular ones, and on Christmas Eve they broadcast the movie “Cinderella”. Which is also very popular!

8. White Christmas - Everyone wishes for a white Christmas, and we sometimes get it. The winter here is really cold, so it is possible for the snow to come. Many people go skiing, snowboarding, slalom etc. Snow on Christmas eve is the ultimate perfect Christmas. It is the top of the decoration.

9. Old Pixie- In other countries Santa Claus is comming through their chimney on Christmas night. In Norway we have old pixies that live at the farms on the barn at Christmas time. We feed them by setting a bowl of rice porridge in the barn. Another tradition is also to set a sheaf of corn outside the barn, to feed the little birds.

10. Advent - Early in November the stores start selling Christmas food and decoration. And at the 1st of December, the count down for Christmas starts. The children have many different advents calendars; choclate calendar, calendar with gifts, calendars at the television etc. Every house is decorated with purple tablecloths and lights. And the four last Sundays before Christmas we light a candle. One candle the first Sunday, followed by two the second Sunday, Three the third Sunday and four lights the last Sunday of Advent.

Top ten norwegian celebrities

1.Ole Gunnar Solskjær – World known football player, played for Manchester United

from 1996 to 2007.

2.Ole Einar Bjørndalen – World's most winning biathlete.

3.Bjørn Dæhlie – world's most winning cross-country skier.

4.Morten Harket – known singer from the band ”A-ha”.

5.Dagfinn Lyngbø – Norwegian stand-up comedian. Won the Audience Award in 2008.

You can see a clip from his act here. (in Norwegian)

6.Bjarne Brønbo – known artist from the Norwegian band “D.D.E”.

7.Kristian Kjelling – Was the youngest professional handball player ever.

8.Kåre Conradi – known actor from movies like “West side story”

(as Tony) and “Hamlet” (Title role).

9.Rolv Wesenlund – known comedian actor.

10.Gro Harlem Brundtland – Norwegian Primeminister for three periods.

Norwegian items, top 10:

1: Cheese slicer

Used to cut the cheese in thin rivets. Invented February 27, 1925.

2: Paper Clip

It is a Norwegian invention. The paperclip is an instrument that is used to securely attach sheets of paper together.

3: Natioanl Costume

National costume-Our national costumes are made of wool and with lots of embroideries. It's normal to wear big filigree brooch with it, and sometimes with a headscarf. There are many different sorts, it all depends where you come from.

4:Troll

A troll is a item from the norse mythology.

5: Selbu mitten

Selbumittens are mittens with a special design. Many tourists buy them when they are in Norway for their holiday.

6: Spray box

The spray box- the first spray box was invented by Erik Rotheim in Oslo, 1926. It makes a liquid under pressure to come out like a a mist. The patent was sold to a US company.

7: Norwegian rose painting

It is a painting style with a lot of roses in it, an old norwegian tradition. They painted everything, from chests to hats.

8: Storehouse

A building on the farms, used to store food. Old invention, and not in normal use anymore. Build espacially to keep out mice.

9: Ski

Is a long flat device that helps you move quikly on the snow. You have one ski on each foot. And the skis comes in different size,lenght and disign.

10: Stair Chair

Stairs chair- a chair for children, invented by Norwegians. The chair can be adjusted as the child grows. The chair and its inventors has taken legal action over 300 times because others have copied it. The company has won almost all of them.

Top ten Norwegian beacons

2.Nidaros cathedral

Nidaros cathedral lies in Trondheim and it was build over the place where king Olav Haraldsson was buried in 1030. The cathedral receives around 400.000 tourists from around the globe.

http://www.nidarosdomen.no/

3. The Royal Palace

The Royal Palace lies in Oslo and was officialy taken into use on the 26^th of July 1849 by King Oscar 1. In the summer is The Royal Palace open to the public.

http://www.kongehuset.no/

4. The troll ladder
One of the most famous tourist attract ions in Norway. It's a narrow mountain road which incline 9%. On the top there is possibilities to walk and enjoy the view.

http://www.trollstigen.net/

5. Preachers Pulpit

Is a massive cliff 604 meters above Lysefjorden. The top is square and almost flat. Almost 120 000 people visited in 2008.

http://www.preikestolen.org/

6. The wharf in Bergen

Is a line of commercial buildings in Bergen. Bryggen houses tourists, souvenir and gift shops and restaurants, pubs and museums.

http://www.bergen.info/bryggen-i-bergen.html

7. The North Cape

The North Cape is the northernmost place in Europe, located on the island Magerøya of Norway, or 71° north. A monument stands on a 307 m high cliff to represent the northern edge of Europe. The North Cape is 2102.3 km from the North Pole. There is a place called Knivskjelodden, that’s 1380 m longer north then the North Cape. This is the real northernmost place in Europe. Today the North Cape is a tourist area, were many people came every year. Have also its own restaurant, Kompasset, with a fantastic view of the sea.

8. Kjerag

Kjerag is a Norwegian mountain, located near Stavanger in Lysefjorden. It’svery high, climbing up to 1110 m as highest point. People go here for the fantastic view or to BASE ump of the cliff. Some even tries to climb up. One other thing is Kjeragbolten. A 5 m³ big stone caught between two cliffs.

9. Vigeland Sculpture Park

Vigeland Park is a part of Fronger Park in Oslo. Here there are 212 bronze and granite sculpture made by Gustav Vigeland. Vigeland made each and every one himself out of clay and then someone fabricated them. Many well-known sculptures are here like, Monolith and Sinnataggen

10. Holmenkollen ski jump

is host to the worlds second oldest ski jump competition still in existence. It has been extended 18 times, and more than 1 million people visits every year.

http://www.skiforeningen.no/holmenkollen