The Scandinavian Hanukkah
Hanukkah in Scandinavia is a well-known Jewish celebration - after all, the Festival of Lights is a major annual event for those of Jewish belief in Scandinavia.
You will find that if you spend Hanukkah/Chanuka in Scandinavia, both locals and visitors there celebrate this Jewish holiday according to well-known traditions, with prayers, candles, and in song. Find out more about celebrating Hanukkah in Scandinavia here.
Happy World Toilet Day!
The World Toilet Organization (WTO) is a global non- profit organization committed to improving toilet and sanitation conditions worldwide.
Celebrate World Toilet Day 2009 with a fun tour of Scandinavia's unique toilets! What's so special about them, and what you'd better look out for when going potty alongside the locals:
Iceland Has 13 Santas?
Christmas in Iceland is an interesting experience as this country has many old traditions for celebrating Christmas. Expect no fewer than 13 Icelandic Santa Clauses! In Iceland, they're the "Yuletide Lads". The origin of these "Santas" is centuries old, and each has its own name, character and role. Nowadays their function is to come to town bearing gifts and candy (and a prank or two).
The first of them arrives 13 days before Christmas and after Christmas, they leave one by one. The Icelandic Christmas season lasts 26 days... more about Christmas traditions in Iceland.
Photo of the Week: Bathed in Snow
This is what the Blue Lagoon looks like this time of year. The Blue Lagoon in Iceland is Iceland's famous geothermal spa where guests relax in seawater heated by Mother Nature. There are several hotels near the Blue Lagoon (currently with lower winter prices) and guided lagoon tours available.
The Coziest Christmas Markets
The historic Scandinavian Christmas Markets are a great attraction for all kinds of visitors and offer lots of seasonal Christmas shopping and holiday shopping with local crafts, food, and drink (including the hot, spiced wine, Glögg). You can see photos of the markets in the Scandinavian Christmas photo gallery.
It's also easy to find Christmas markets elsewhere, if you're not heading over to Scandinavia.
The markets generally take place from late November until around December 23 and visiting one should definitely be on your to-do list. So where are the best markets near your destination? Let's find out, in the article about the best Christmas Markets in Scandinavia.
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Another Tree Coming From Norway
London's traditional Norwegian Christmas tree is on its way. The tree is Oslo's annual gift to London, a 33-meter tree that is 90 years old, and the 62nd of its kind to cross the North Sea.
Each November, Oslo cuts this tree as a renewed symbol of the friendship and to show Norway's gratefulness for the help rendered by the British during the second World War.
Oslo is also sending one Christmas tree each to Rotterdam (Netherlands) and Reykjavik (Iceland). The trees are all Norwegian spruces and are decorated in traditional Norwegian style, with 500 individual white lights.
The tree coming to London will be found, as always, on Trafalgar Square. Its lights will come on December 4.
Free Travel E-Courses by E-mail
Maybe you're planning to spend this holiday season in Scandinavia, or want to find out more about local Christmas traditions?
Either way, you've come to the right place to find out more about Christmas in Scandinavia. The following new e-course has 4 parts and will arrive weekly via email, for free. Enjoy the interesting seasonal travel tips included:
Seasonal Scandinavia - Scandinavia's Holiday E-Course
And if you're looking to learn more about Scandinavia throughout the year, try the year-round Scandinavia Travel E-Course that will teach you more about Scandinavia itself, travel destinations, events, and so much more, in 6 free weekly email lessons!
Photo of the Week: Toddler on Skis
Take a look at this little Swedish cutie as she's slaloming down the hill. Doesn't she make you want to go skiing with her? Ski resorts are opening up all over Scandinavia now, so it's a great time to look into some winter travel plans.
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Language Basics for Dummies
Over 5,000 languages exist today, but linguists and scientists say that there may be only 2,000 by the next decade as rare languages die out. The Scandinavian languages are not in danger of dying out any time soon, though - there are more than 20 million speakers of Danish, Swedish, and Norwegian today!
Just make sure to get a few basic words down before you travel - it makes your trip so much more enjoyable.
When translating, be careful not to use phrases with double-meaning, though! A while ago, a truly memorable lesson was learned by the Swedish manufacturer Electrolux, when the company initiated their ad campaign in the US. They marketed the then latest top of the range vacuum cleaners using a memorable English slogan: "Nothing sucks like an Electrolux".
The Bridge Between Denmark and Sweden
The Oresund Bridge is the relatively new bridge that connects Denmark and Sweden, in a total length of just over 10 miles. Doesn't that sound like fun? Next time you're driving in Scandinavia, visit the Oresund Strait.
The Oresund Bridge connects the cities of Copenhagen and Malmo. It now carries more than 60,000 travelers daily, and bridge tolls are reasonably priced - get all the details in the new article about the Oresund Bridge.
FUN FACT: The high bridge part of the Oresund Bridge has the longest cable-stayed main span of all bridges in the world. That goes for both road and rail traffic! And, this Scandinavian tunnel is the world's longest underwater tube tunnel for both road and rail traffic.
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