Published by: Visit Norway

Brazil has its carnival, and Ireland has Saint Patrick’s Day. But what does Norway have? On the 17th of May, we celebrate the signing of the Constitution in 1814. In Norway, Constitution Day is huge.

While many countries celebrate their national day with a military parade, Norway’s 17th of May is a party for everyone, especially children. Before heading out to the parades and festivities, many like to get together to share a huge breakfast – often a potluck with friends, family, and neighbors – with freshly baked bread, scrambled eggs, smoked salmon, and (for the grown-ups) some bubbly.

Parades and ice cream

Children’s parades occur across the country, as marching bands lead processions through local communities. The biggest parades attract tens of thousands of people, who wave flags and shout “hooray”! In Oslo, Karl Johan, the high street, is filled with happy people watching the big parade. The royal family waves tirelessly to the crowds passing from the balcony of the Royal Palace.

The day is celebrated all over the country. A unique feature in Bergen is the city’s traditional Buekorps – traditional neighborhood groups of marching drummers.

Although the day is patriotic, it has a very inclusive and joyous atmosphere – visitors are welcomed warmly! The focus is primarily on eating huge amounts of ice cream and hot dogs, listening to speeches and music, and playing games at local schools.

The bunad – Norway’s traditional costume

The day is also an opportunity to show off one’s bunad, Norway’s traditional costume worn by both men and women. Like a Scottish kilt, there are many variations, with colors and styles indicating where in Norway the owner’s ancestry lies.

You will never see more people wearing traditional costumes than on the 17th of May!

Ask for a russekort!

You can also spot teenagers in red, blue, black, and green jumpsuits. These are members of the graduating class who are in their final year of upper secondary school, called Russ. Many of them look tired on the 17h of May, not so much from studying for their exams as partying with their peers

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Published by: as

A celebration that honors motherhood, Mother’s Day is held annually around the world on a range of different dates. It is observed on the second Sunday of May in the United States, where its origins lie in a West Virginia woman’s efforts to celebrate the good deeds of her late mother. This year, the date is May 14, 2023.

How Mother’s Day Started in the US

In the early 20th century, Anna Jarvis wished to commemorate her mother Ann Jarvis, an activist who had looked after injured soldiers during the American Civil War and had set up women’s groups to promote health and friendship.

On 12 May 1907, the second anniversary of Ann’s death, Jarvis held a memorial service at her mother’s church in Grafton, West Virginia, and went on to campaign for Mother’s Day to be installed as a yearly celebration in the US. In 1914, President Woodrow Wilson signed an executive order proclaiming the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day.

Initially, white carnations – Ann’s favorite flower – were handed out on Mother’s Day in the US, before the current tradition of giving cards, flowers, and gifts took over. This led Jarvis to become so disenchanted with the commercialization of the holiday that she unsuccessfully fought to have it abolished.

Mother’s Day across the world

Many nations around the world – around 100 – have followed the US lead in celebrating Mother’s Day on the second Sunday in May. Many others have opted for a different date, for a variety of reasons.

In the United Kingdom and Ireland, for example, Mother’s Day is held on the fourth Sunday in Lent – the 40-weekday period before the Christian religious festival Easter. This is because their modern, secular Mother’s Day stems from the religious celebration Mothering Sunday, which began in the Middle Ages. On Mothering Sunday, Christians would visit their ‘mother’, or primary, church. Because of its association with Easter, the date of Mother’s Day in the UK and Ireland can greatly vary.

There is also religious significance in other countries’ choice of date. In Panama, like the UK a predominantly Christian country, Mother’s Day is on 8 December, coinciding with the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.

There are also countries that have opted to tie their Mother’s Day to a specific date of national importance. In Bolivia, Mother’s Day commemorates the Heroínas de la Coronilla, a group of women who on 27 May 1812 fought in the Battle of Pocona in the Bolivian War of Independence. In Thailand, it is celebrated on 12 August, the birthday of Sirikit Kitikayara, the Thai queen’s mother. In some countries, meanwhile, Mother’s Day is scheduled to coincide with International Women’s Day, held on 8 March.

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Hispanic Heritage Month is an annual celebration of the history and culture of the U.S. Latinx and Hispanic communities. The event, which spans from September 15 to October 15, commemorates how those communities have influenced and contributed to American society at large.

The term Hispanic or Latino (or the more recent term Latinx) refers to a person’s culture or origin—regardless of race. On the 2020 Census form, people were counted as Hispanic or Latino, or Spanish if they could identify as having Mexican, Mexican American, Chicano, Puerto Rican, Cuban, or “another Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin.”

Hispanic Heritage Month actually began as a commemorative week when it was first introduced in June of 1968 by California Congressman George E. Brown. The push to recognize the contributions of the Latinx community had gained momentum throughout the 1960s when the civil rights movement was at its peak and there was a growing awareness of the United States’ multicultural identities.

Brown, who represented East Los Angeles and a large portion of the San Gabriel Valley—both heavily populated by members of the Hispanic and Latinx communities—wanted to recognize the role played by those communities throughout American history.

On September 17, 1968, Congress passed Public Law 90-48, officially authorizing and requesting the president to issue annual proclamations declaring September 15 and 16 to mark the beginning of National Hispanic Heritage Week and called upon the “people of the United States, especially the educational community, to observe such week with appropriate ceremonies and activities.” President Lyndon B. Johnson issued the first Hispanic Heritage Week presidential proclamation the same day.

Why the Date of Hispanic Heritage Month Is Important

The timing of Hispanic Heritage Month coincides with the Independence Day celebrations of several Latin American nations. September 15 was chosen as the kickoff because it coincides with the Independence Day celebrations of five “Central American neighbors,” as Johnson called them—Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. Those five nations declared their independence from Spain on September 15, 1821.

In his proclamation, Johnson also acknowledged Mexico, which declared its independence from Spain on September 16, 1810. Although not mentioned specifically by Johnson, Chile also celebrates its independence during that week (September 18, 1810, from Spain) and Belize, which declared its independence from Great Britain on September 21, 1981, was subsequently added to the list of nations specifically celebrated during what is now Hispanic Heritage Month.

Hispanic Heritage Expands From a Week to a Month

From 1968 until 1988, Presidents Nixon, Ford, Carter, and Reagan all issued yearly proclamations, setting aside a week to honor Hispanic Americans. In 1987 U.S. Representative Esteban E. Torres of California proposed expanding the observance to cover its current 31-day period. Torres wanted more time so that the nation could “properly observe and coordinate events and activities to celebrate Hispanic culture and achievement.”

In 1988, Senator Paul Simon (D-Illinois), submitted a similar bill that successfully passed Congress and was signed into law by President Ronald Reagan on August 17, 1988. And on September 14, 1989, President George H.W. Bush (who had been a sponsor of the original Hispanic Heritage Week resolution while serving in the House in 1968) became the first president to declare the 31-day period from September 15 to October 15 as National Hispanic Heritage Month.

“Not all of the contributions made by Hispanic Americans to our society are so visible or so widely celebrated, however. Hispanic Americans have enriched our nation beyond measure with the quiet strength of closely knit families and proud communities,” Bush said.

In the decades since National Hispanic Heritage Month proclamations have been made by every sitting president of the United States. Hispanic Heritage Month 2022 will last from Thursday, September 15, 2022, through Saturday, October 15, 2022.

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