Today is Constitution Day in Norway. It is the National Day of Norway and is an official national holiday each year on May 17th. Among Norwegians, the day is referred to as ‘Syttende Mai‘ (simply meaning May Seventeenth), Nasjonaldagen (National Day) or less commonly, Grunnlovsdagen (Constitution Day).
Following the Napoleonic Wars, Norway’s Constitution, which declared the country as a kingdom independent of Sweden was signed at what is now widely considered one of Norway’s most symbolic markers of national pride, the Eidsvoll Manor House, officially beginning its path to total independence.
Constitution Day is often kicked off by many Norwegians with a traditional 17. Mai breakfast of smoked salmon, scrambled eggs, and a fresh loaf of bread, accompanied by a glass of champagne. Breakfast is just the start of the spring holiday that many view as a time to indulge in guilty food pleasures, especially ice cream and hot dogs. The national pastry for May 17th is pavlova, a cake filled with cream and fruit made from a meringue mass.
The May 17th celebrations vary across Norway, but they all follow a traditional pattern that makes this a day centered on the children.
The highlights are the children’s processions, made up of school classes marching through the local community, led by the school band. Most children have their own small Norwegian flag to wave, and the route is lined with enthusiastic onlookers. The first children’s processions were duly arranged in 1870. Since 1906, the Royal Family have gathered on the balcony of the Royal Palace in Oslo to wave to the children marching by.
Gratulerer med dagen, Norge!
Today is the birthday, in 1961, of Enya Ni Bhraonain, from Irish family band Clannad who had the 1982 UK No.5 single ‘Harry’s Game’. Enya had the solo, 1988 UK No.1 single ‘Orinoco Flow’, and the 2001 US No.2 album ‘A Day Without Rain’. Enya is Ireland’s biggest selling solo artist and second overall behind U2 with an estimated 75 million records sold worldwide. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wfYIMyS_dI
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