Public holidays in NORWAY

Public holidays (schools and offices closed):

• January 1 - New Years day
• Maundy Thursday (Holy Thursday, "Skjærtorsdag")
• Good Friday ("Langfredag")
• Easter Sunday ("påskedag")
• Second day of Easter (Monday) ("andre påskedag")
• May 1 - Labour day
• May 17 - Constitution Day (National Celebration in the streets)
• Ascension Thursday ("Kristi himmelfart")
• Pentecost (Whit Sunday, "pinsedag")
• Pentecost 2ed (Whit Monday, "andre pinsedag")
• December 25 - Christmas Day ("juledag")
• December 26 - Boxing Day ("andre juledag")

Note that many Norwegian holidays are celebrated on the day before (Holy Saturday, Christmas Eve etc). On Christmas Eve ("julekveld", "julaften"), New Years Eve ("nyttårsaften"), Holy Saturday ("påskeaften") and Saturday before Pentecost ("pinseaften") shops close early. Norwegians also celebrate midsummer at St. John's day on June 24 by making a bonfire late evening the day before - "St.John's Eve" ("St.Hansaften" or "Jonsokaften").