Sons of Norway Blog

Norwegian Gingerbread Cookies are spiced, snappy cookies that make your house smell divine when they bake. They are perfect for kids and adults to decorate, and you can shape them into whatever you please!

In August, Norway’s crown prince pair celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary. The couple decided to delay their celebration due to coronavirus concerns. On the date of their anniversary, Princess Ingrid Alexandra was quarantined due to a Covid diagnosis and has since recovered.

Innlandet county is a sweeping expanse of rich farmland, thriving wilderness and mythical mountain ranges, stretching across middle and southeastern Norway. It is the only landlocked county in Norway, and is second in size only to Troms og Finnmark in the north.

The Sons of Norway Foundation has been proudly supporting accomplished and innovative students since our founding in 1966. We are pleased to share their stories with the donors and members who make our scholarships happen. Here is one such message from 2021 King Olav V Norwegian-American Heritage Scholarship recipient Amalia Waiter Lewis.

Søtsuppe (sweet soup) is a traditional Norwegian food that is great for family celebrations. It can be eaten hold or cold and is delicious for breakfast, a snack, or dessert.

At one point or another, you may have heard the Norwegian and Danish term hygge, pronounced “hue-guh.” Over the last several years, the endearing word has become more widespread in the U.S. and was named one of the top words of the year in 2016. The translation of “coziness” doesn’t fully capture the meaning of the hygge, as it encompasses the broader idea of appreciating and savoring the truly rich moments in life. In a similar vein, the Norwegian word kos emphasizes the warmth of togetherness and being with loved ones.

Fall is officially here, and it’s the perfect time to plan a Nordic-themed movie night. Whether you’re looking for an inspiring documentary, heartwarming comedy or adventure film that keeps you on the edge of your seat, you have plenty of options to choose from.

To celebrate the first annual Leif Erikson Day in the U.S., in 1964, Minnesota Governor Rolvaag asked Sons of Norway and the Minnesota press to find a young man with the same name. Fifteen Minnesotans responded, but not all were of Norwegian descent. Gradually, the number was narrowed to two - a boy of 11 from Austin and Leif, age 17, from Moorhead. Since the Leif Eriksen coming to the ceremony from Norway was 16 years old, the 17-year-old Minnesotan was deemed a better choice. 

Halloween is an American holiday which didn’t catch on in the rest of the world until recently. However, it has increasingly become a phenomenon in various parts of the globe. One country that has grown well-acquainted with Halloween is Norway. The traditions of Halloween were “imported” to Norway in the late 90’s and are now quite common, at least in the larger cities.

Spanning across the southeast region of Østfold in Viken county, the 7th edition of the Ladies Tour of Norway was held this year from August 12-15. The athletes in this world-class bicycle race compete as teams of up to 6 cyclists, often riding close to each other to take advantage of drafting, and use a variety of other tactics to reduce drag and increase speed. This year’s race featured 18 teams, crewed by top competitors from all over the world.

The perfect soup to make as the temperatures get colder, Norwegian Betasuppe!

In the October issue of Viking, we explored how Norway has been taking sustainable steps forward by using electric ferries. The country currently has 31 fully-electric ferries in operation, and that number is expected to grow substantially.