Easter Traditions in Norway

Easter is Noway is celebrated with various colorful traditions. In Norway, this festival is also known as ‘Paske’. This Norwegian name is quite similar to Hebrew pesach, French paques and Greek pascha. The celebrations however are quite colorful and take place over the week.

Easter celebrations in Norway

Norway celebrates Easter with its various colorful traditions. Symbols like, eggs, bunnies and Easter Chicken, are used in the celebration. Both adults and children take active part in decorating the eggs, cleaning and decorating the house, reading crime stories and participating in traditional Easter games. The Easter celebrations start before the Lent. The day is also known as ‘Schrovetide’or ‘vastelavent’, which is a Church festival. The main attractions of Easter celebrations in Norway are the carnival held by different organizations throughout the country.

Well-known Easter traditions in Norway

Norway is a country rich in its culture and tradition. Just like other festivals, Norway celebrates Easter with its various traditions. Some of the common traditions in Norway:

Decorating Eggs
Easter Eggs are one of the most famous traditions in Norway. Decorating the Eggs is one of the most famous activities. As a part of the tradition, the eggs are chosen and decorate with different colors and patterns. These eggs may be hard-boiled, raw or artificial.

Easter decorations
Cleaning the house and decorating it with yellow colored stuff is one of the Easter traditions of Norway. People use yellow chicken figures, eggs colored in yellow and other drawings to decorate the house for the Easter.

Reading/watching crime or detective stories
Special books are published during the Easter season with crime stories and detective contents. Reading or watching stories with such content are one of the common Easter traditions in Norway. Even TV programs shown during the Easter have such content.

Palm Sunday
Palm Sunday in Norway is also known as Palmesondag. The day celebrates the entry of Lord Jesus Christ into Jerusalem. Homes are decorated with birch trees, twigs with furry buds, colorfully decorate eggs and ornaments. Norwegian Holiday begins with the Palm Sunday celebrations. During this time, houses get new wall hangings, curtains are changed, and various hand-made ornaments are used for decorating. Flowers like, tulips and daffodils are also used for Easter decorations.

Easter Thursday in Norway
Easter Thursday in Norway is also known as Skjaertorsdag. On this day all the business houses and stores are closed for the week long celebrations. Norwegian churches hold sacred ceremonies and celebrates the ‘Last Supper’and the sacraments.

Easter Sunday in Norway
Grand feasts on Sunday mornings are a part of the traditions in Norway. The breakfasts on the Sunday morning are special with eggs made food like boiled eggs, scrambled eggs, and fried eggs. The breakfast also contains fish items, cookies and candies.

In olden days, Sunday was the day to predict the upcoming weather conditions in Norway. People used to climb the mountains, to see the sunrise, which they believed would dance with happiness celebrating Christ’s resurrection.

Latest Updated on 30/12/2010