First of all; it's a bank holiday. I understand most other countries don't celebrate their national/constitutional day like we do at all, and letting it be a day off for everyone apparently is unheard of elsewhere. The point with our constitutional day is to celebrate our constitution (duh), which was signed on the 17th of May 1814. We were also turned over to the Swedes that year and had to be run from Stockholm for more than ninety years, before finally having a revolution in 1905 - a quiet revolution where there was no bloodshed, although reports from earlier today show that we were nearly at war with Sweden at that point.

So, our freedom is one hundred years old today. And at the same time, it isn't. There were five years there in the middle where some nasty men from Germany held us captive within our own borders. But sixty years after the end of the war we should be getting over that by now. It's just that...well, we keep getting back to it, don't we? Like I did right now. Hmm...

Anyway, the day is celebrated for the sake of the children. The future, if you will. They make out most of the parades all over the country, only interrupted by marching bands, of which there are plenty in this country. Seems like most schools have their own marching band, and in addition there are several bands for those who never could put away the instruments after leaving school. (Fact: There are 1,717 marching bands in Norway) Today there are 113 schools participating in the Oslo parade, so I'm guessing about 50,000 children plus many of their teachers and then a marching band for every three schools or something...it's a looong parade. And it all ends up by the City Hall, via the Royal Palace, where the Prince Regent is standing today together with his mother, the Queen, and his wife, the pregnant Crown Princess. The King is on sick leave (yes, that is possible). It was quite special to watch the three members of the Royal Family sing the Monarch's Song when he wasn't there. (Fact: That song just happens to be the same as the British national anthem, only with different lyrics, naturally)

In recent years, the usage of the traditional dress and suit, bunad, has increased dramatically, especially among the younger men. These suits are very different as there are lots of local variants. Oslo is such a fun place to be when one likes the bunad because of the migrants from all over the country - in smaller places they usually wear just a few variants but here they're all gathered. A normal bunad costs from NOK 25,000 (£2,000) and upwards, because it's all handstitched and there is a lot of jewelry involved, so many get one for their confirmation celebration at the age of 15 (a version that can be altered as one grows) or they save for years. Decorums state that the bunad is to be considered equal to a gala uniform or white tie, but at the same time it can be used on all formal occasions, like a baptism, a wedding, birthday celebrations etc. (Not funerals, though...although I double dog dare ya to wear one and take pictures.) Our Prince Regent wears a morning suit today, with the two women on both his flanks wearing bunad. Personally, I've never had a bunad and don't want one, but think they look great (most of them, that is).

And my personal favourite, the Vestfold bunad (because that's where I come from).

After the children's parade they are given as many hot dogs and as much ice cream as they can eat, and then some, before there are local celebrations, usually on every other school in the area. This is more of a huge playground, as the point is to keep eating hot dogs and ice cream and play silly games until everyone just wants to go home and sleep. Personally, I think I'll go to the newsagent's and buy some ice cream.

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Labels: history, Norway, party