Celebrating the 17th of May! 

A day of joy, pride and bunads! 

A historical dive

Once part of Denmark, the Norwegian independence was declared in 1814 to avoid being given away to Sweden – the independence was declared in the town of Eidsvoll, where Erithy’s first headquarters was at! – . The independence was declared as a form of constitution once Denmark was defeated in the Napoleonic wars. This plan, however, did not work; and the union between Norway and Sweden came indeed to happen. 

Picture portraying the place where the Norwegian Constitution was signed. The picture shows a white house with red roof and two floors, with trees in front of the windows and a grass path leading to it.

The Swedish king Karl III Johan forbade celebrations of such day, as it could be understood as a rebellion against the Union. This did not, however, stop Norwegians from celebrating the 17th of May, and after the Battle of the Square in 1829, Karl Johan had no choice but allow Norwegians to express this pride. 

I suppose this sounds like a familiar name, and it should be! The famous shopping avenue in Oslo was named after this king.  

The union with Sweden was dissolved in 1905, and Prince Karl from Denmark became King Haakon VII, king of the Norway we know nowadays.  

That was far from being the only time when Norwegians were deprived from celebrating their day – during the Second World War, when Norway was occupied, celebrating this day was also forbidden and only allowed on the Liberation Day, on May 8th, 1945. This historical process culminated in a day where the people went outside to celebrate their freedom and independence. 

How to celebrate? 

First you have to imagine streets filled with red, blue and white. Then, marching bands filling the air and people laughing everywhere.

The image shows a parade with people waving the Norwegian flag in front of the Royal Castle

The Children’s Parade: Barnetoget – The heart of the celebration! School children everywhere march through cities, singing and waving flags. If you are in Oslo, the parade passes by the Royal Palace where the royal family greets everyone from the balcony. 

Bunads! – One of the nicest things to see on May 17th is the traditional Norwegian bunad: a embroidered folk costume. Each one tells a story and is unique to the individual who is wearing them, and bunads can look different depending on the region you are at. 

Hot Dogs, Ice Cream & Champagne – Yes, you read that right! Some Norwegians really like eating pølser (hot dogs), is (ice cream), and some people even have champagne for breakfast.   

Songs – From the national anthem (“Ja, vi elsker dette landet“) to school chants and patriotic songs, music is everywhere.  

Why is it so unique? 

Unlike many national days marked by the presence of a military parade, the 17th of May is a day that focuses on community, unity and democracy. It’s a day about family and friends coming together to celebrate.  

Join the celebration! 

Whether you’re in Norway or just want to embrace the spirit, here’s how you can join in: 

  • Wear something red, white, or blue: don’t forget to wear your best clothes!  
  • Try a Norwegian treat: the person writing this post really likes kransekake. Feel free to try as many as you want and decide which one is your favorite! 
  • Wave a Norwegian flag. 
  • Don’t forget to have fun! 

Gratulerer med dagen! Happy Constitution Day! 🇳🇴🇳🇴🇳🇴 

What about you, have you ever experienced 17th of May in Norway? Let us know!