This is the sixth of a series which takes a look at the cultural differences you may experience when living in Norway.
Norwegians take pride in their homes and make special efforts to decorate their homes in the cosiest way possible. Many Norwegians I know seem to have been born with the talent for decorating.
A Norwegian home never looks the same for long – decorative pieces, plants and pictures on the walls change pretty frequently. Shopping for home accessories is always fun and Norwegians have a tendency to decorate their homes according to the occasion (Easter, 17th of May, Christmas, etc). Easter eggs, red, white and blue candles, purple advent candles, children’s Christmas calendars, etc will tell you what festival is coming up.
Making the home nice and cosy is deemed especially important in the winter as Norwegians spend alot of time at home then (who wants to be out in that freezing wind?). Candles, plants and flowers are a big feature in the homes. It is common to see a Norwegian home bathed with warm yellow lamps and plenty of candles.
In the summer, you can see many Norwegians working on their houses and gardens. Out come the lawn mowers, pressure washers, hedgecutters, paintbrushes, etc etc. Norwegians plant flowers and bushes in their garden and do up their terraces in preparation for the summer’s grill parties. Do not be surprised to wake up on a Sunday morning to the whirring of equipment and hammering of nails. It is not usual for Norwegians to hire help to do the work around the house. They like to take on DIY projects and the staff at places like Monter and Coob Obs Bygg are very helpful when it comes to giving advice on work around the house. Those who do not get the time or simply do not have the interest to do projects around the home on their own can hire reliable contractors to come and do the work for them (although you have to book them way in advance to get them to do work on your home in the summer).
In the winter or right before the winter begins, Norwegians usually trim their shrubs and mow their lawns one last time.
When it snows, do note that as a house owner, you are personally responsible for clearing the snow and/or ice on the sidewalk around/in front of your property. If a passer-by is injured as a result of you not clearing the sidewalk of snow or using sand on the icy parts of the sidewalk-you may be held liable.
Read More: Maintaining a Norwegian Home
Disclaimer: I do not mean to offend anyone with this article and I do realise that everyone and every family is different. The above is just general information and observations gathered from different sources. Feel free to disagree in the comments below
See entire Culture Shock Norway series here.
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About Cynthia Myrnes
Cynthia is a Singaporean who has been living in Stavanger since Feb 2008 with her Norwegian husband. She works as a physiotherapist here and also owns her own petsitting service, Stavanger Petsitter, for the residents of Stavanger. In addition, she manages the Stavanger International Moms group. She loves hanging out with friends, spending time with animals, travelling and watersports such as scuba diving and wake boarding. Most of all, she is enjoying the experience of being a first time mom!
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