As 2020 comes to a close, so does another year of Viking magazine. What a year it has been! Our 12 issues from 2020 include 37 feature stories that span topics such as Scandinavian food, travel, history, modern culture, genealogy and more. Here’s a look back at some of this year’s must-read articles.
Winter is the best time to embrace the hygge way of life. In the December issue of Viking magazine, we show readers how to celebrate the Scandinavian lifestyle concept of hygge by getting cozy, crafty and inspired by nature.
Norwegian wool sweaters are something we associate with tradition, cozy warmth and, if we’re lucky, the people who knitted them. But did you know that they were made to protect us not only from cold, but also to ward off malicious spirits?
Norway is well known for its ambitious—and successful—efforts to encourage greener, healthier lifestyles among its residents. But the latest of these efforts may come as a surprise even among those who are accustomed to Norway’s overachieving outdoorsiness...
The tradition of putting up a julenek (Christmas sheaf) at Christmastime goes back a few centuries. It was supposed to be a large cut of a farmer’s best grain, and the last thing to be harvested in the autumn.
Norway’s royal family thought that neutrality would protect their nation from hostile takeover, but they were caught unawares when the Germans invaded in 1940. A new historical dramatization, Atlantic Crossing, recently debuted on NRK, Norway’s National Broadcasting Corporation.
As much of the United States and Europe brace for a second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, many of us worry we’re facing our darkest time yet and wonder how we’ll cope with the long winter nights. Our answer might be to look at the Norwegian lifestyle.
Christmas, known as jule in Norway, is a magical time. Norwegians enjoy getting into the spirit of Christmas, or julestemning, with loved ones.
Ever since Norway began allowing dual citizenship in January 2020, applications have been pouring in from people seeking to become Norwegian citizens. The influx of applications has far outpaced expectations, prompting lawmakers to propose expanding Norway’s citizenship processing capacity by NOK 61.5 million in 2021.
Norway’s fortresses all hold secrets of the past. They were built as far back as the 1100s and as recently as the German occupation. Once built to keep invaders out, today they invite people in.
