Norway bank holidays 2018 and 2019 - official holidays and red-letter days

Since Norway is a Christian country, it shares many religious holidays with countries like Denmark, Sweden, Germany and England.

Norway has 13 official closing days per year.

Official holidays in Norway 2018/2019

Banks, institutions, offices and large shops are closed on holidays.

Most stores in Norway are allowed to stay open at any time they wish - except Sundays. Only grocery stores and kiosks smaller than 100 square metres are allowed to be open on Sundays. The opening hours in Norwegian supermarkets are typically from 7h-8h in the morning until 9h-11h in the evening - from Monday to Saturday.

Official holidays in Norway (bank holidays) are:

• New Year’s Day
• Maundy Thursday
• Good Friday
• Easter Monday
• Ascension Day
• Whit Monday
• Christmas day
• Boxing day

Red-letter days in Norway - Labour Day and Constitution Day
Norway has marked 1^st of May and 17^th of May in their calendar to celebrate Labour Day and Constitution Day respectively. These days are, however, not considered public holidays in Norway. Instead the two days are considered red-letter days.

A red-letter day marks a day of special significance. Shops are not obligated to shut down on a red-letter day, unless the red-letter day is also an official holiday. An example of a red-letter day, which is not a national holiday, could e.g. be the birthday of a royalty.

Labour Day - 1^st of May
Starting in the year of 1974, May 1^st has been an official red-letter day/bank holiday in Norway. Not only is the May Day the fighting day of the international working class, but it is also a day of celebration for the graduating students. Before 1974 the traditional political parades were organised on the first Saturday after the May 1^st, if it originally was to fall on a weekday.

Constitution Day - 17^th of May
The Norwegian Constitution Day is a bank holiday, which always falls on May 17^th. The day is a red-letter day and especially the children dominate the day - pupils are festively dressed and they participate in a parade at the palace square in Oslo in front of a waving royal family. On this day adults dress in the traditional Bunad - a costume much like the Norwegian national costume.

See the Constitution Day celebrations in Norway:

Religious festivals in Norway 2018/2019
Besides the above mentioned holidays and closing days, Norway also has other special days categorised as religious festivals.

Shrovetide Sunday
The Shrovetide traditions in Norway can be compared to Halloween celebrations, however, the children do not go trick-or-treating, but make do with dressing up.

Shrovetide Sunday in Norway falls on the 13^th of February in 2018 and 5^th of March in 2019.

Feast of the Annunciation in Norway
Traditionally this day is a very important occasion in the Catholic tradition

It celebrates the visit of Gabriel the Archangel to Virgin Mary to announce she would carry and give birth to the son of God.

The holiday is not celebrated on a fixed date, but always on a Sunday between the 22^nd and 28^th of March (unless Palm or Easter Sunday fall in this period).

In 2018 the Annunciation is it celebrated on the 25^th of March, and in 2019 it falls on March 24^th.

Day of Prayer and Penance
Day of prayer and penance in Norway is always celebrated the last Sunday in October.

Royal regulation of March 27^th 1686 fixed this holiday by law on the fourth Friday after Easter. Norway changed the date for the first time in 1915 and yet again in 1950, where it was decided to place the holiday on the last Sunday of October, which is also the last Sunday before All Saints Day.

Day of Prayer and Penance 2018: 28^th of October
Day of Prayer and Penance 2019: 27^th of October.

All Saints Day Norway
All Saints Day was abolished as a work-free day in Norway in connection to the reduction of holidays in 1970. Simultaneously the holiday was moved to the first Sunday of November. All Saints Day in 2018 it falls on the 4^th of November, and in 2019 on the 3^th of November.