Happy Sunday alle sammen (everyone)!

I had quite a Norwegian-like Sunday.  I slept in late, did not attend church, and my first meal of the day was around 1pm-a large piece of hearty sausage lasagna, followed by a delicious dessert of warm apple crisp (made with crisp apples from the orchard nearby).  After lunch, my boyfriend and I took our dog out into the woods and spent the entire day finishing a deer stand we built for hunting.  Our clothes got covered in burrs and dirt and we even sweat a little bit, but neither of us worked in the sense of the daily grind work.  We enjoyed perhaps the last beautiful fall weekend day.  The mercury nearly surpassed 70 degrees-it was absolutely perfect.  Now we relax for a bit, get ready to hop in the sauna, and strike up the grill for some brats to complete a great Sunday.

While lasagna might not be the chosen Sunday meal for many Norwegian families, the pace of our day is exactly what Norwegians have the luxury of enjoying every Sunday.  You had better be prepared if you are going to be in Norway on a søndag because almost everything is closed.  Grocery stores, many restaurants, retail shops and the like are all closed for business.  The only places open for business are gas stations, hospitals, and some tourist attractions.

This means that not only do people have to prepare for this quiet søndag (must make sure you have enough food for meals on Sunday, in addition to anything else you might need for projects and entertainment), but also that most people are relaxing.  Whether at home, at the relative’s, or on a walk, Norwegians enjoy the last day of the week at a slow and therapeutic pace-something we Americans could take a lesson from.

It is a myth that the majority of the Norwegian population goes to church every Sunday.  Many Americans, particularly Norwegian-Americans think that because a great deal of the Norwegians that emigrated to the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries came partially for religious reasons, that Norwegians today are equally as religious.  This is completely false.  While the government of Norway is still affiliated with the state church (Lutheran), and Norwegian babies are considered a part of the state church unless otherwise requested, most Norwegians do not attend weekly religious services.  The average Norwegian attends church on holidays such as Christmas and Easter (if they are not up in the mountains at a hytta (cabin).

When I lived in Norway, I was absolutely astounded by how many families I saw outside on Sundays enjoying the day, regardless of the weather conditions.  Whether it was the dead of winter and darkness prevailed nearly all day long, or the height of summer, Norwegians take advantage of this wonderful day of the week when there is nothing else to do but relax.  You can’t really go anywhere for entertainment other than the backyard, the park, or the woods because NO ONE IS OPEN.  It’s a beautiful concept.

I remember I was confused and unhappy about this Sunday-ordeal for the first few weeks after I arrived in Norway.  Why couldn’t I go to the grocery store and buy pasta for the spaghetti I wanted to make?  Why coudln’t I go shopping or go to a movie like I could at home in the U.S.?  Why did it seem like the whole country shut down?  Because, essentially, it did.  I came to enjoy this facet of the Norwegian week very much.  It brings the last week to a close in slow and relaxed manner, which puts you in the perfect frame of mind to begin the week ahead.

So on Sundays, do as the nordmenn do and sleep, eat, relax and enjoy the outdoors, eat and sleep again.