Norwegian Culture RSS


This blog on the Norwegian culture is based on our books "The Social Guidebook to Norway", "The 100 unwritten Norwegian Social Laws" and "Norwegian Food: Do they really eat this?". All illustrations are copyrighted. To get an authorisation to use an illustration, visit www.monda.no/copyright.

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Birkebeinerløpet

Source: "The Social Guidebook to Norway" Today is "Birkebeinerløpet", perhaps the most famous running race in Norway. The course is 21 km and takes you thr...

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Just 10 minutes t...

If you are attending a conference in Norway and the dinner takes place away from the conference hotel you are located at, you may naturally be asked to walk ...

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Loppemarked and D...

The "loppemarked" season is here "Loppemarked", or "flea market" in English, is where thousands of Norwegians work as volunteers collecting and selling four...

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Have a reason to ...

In Norway you need to have a reason to speak to others. Spontaneous communication in public spaces is less common than in other countries. You mind your own ...

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Isolated cabin in...

Here is a pristine example of Norwegian culture. A winter cabin in the Norwegian mountains with no road access during winter is for sale at 4 500 000NOK ( 45...

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The Norwegian Soc...

Norwegians tend to have their friendships organised in social bubbles. Each of these social bubbles is linked to a particular activity, place or time in a No...

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Introductions

When you meet someone you know you introduce the person you are with. This is basic politeness in most places. In Norway, it works differently. You will be...

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The Norwegian Nei...

Source: "The Social Guidebook to Norway" Do not be surprised if your Norwegian neighbour passes just in front of you Without looking at you Without greeting ...

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Greeting Norwegians

If you greet for no apparent reason, Norwegians will try to figure out how they know you or what you want to sell them. They will be wondering why you are ta...

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SMALAHOVE

Smalahove is a macabre meal and one of the most notorious Norwegiantraditional dishes. You eat everything on the sheep’s head and are left with ascrubbed skull.

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Events and Partie...

Source: "The Social Guidebook to Norway" In many cultures, people go around and greet everyone personally when they enter a party or an event. They do the...

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Understanding the...

They run like this whatever the weather is like: under the rain, wind and even when the temperature reaches minus degrees. Do not worry, they are Norwegians ...

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Eye Contact in No...

Norwegians will look each other in the eye a lot when talking with colleagues at work or with friends, but they avoid eye contact in other situations - for e...

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Do like Norwegian...

Norway is a great place to be when there is a pandemic disease. Norwegians naturally stand very far apart from each other, thus reducing the risk of someone ...

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Norwegian hairsty...

Norwegian women are free. They are free to decide their hairstyle at any age. Yet there seems to be a pattern. Can anyone explain where this comes from?

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The Norwegian Mam...

Every year, Norwegian bookshops organize what they call "Mammutsalget".  It is a two weeks event taking place in late February and beginning of March.  It st...

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New Year's Eve th...

Norwegians interact differently with alcohol .They smile, they eye-flirt, they can "accidentally" bump into someone at New Year's Eve. They look at each othe...

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