The Quiet Thread
Issue No.11 – There is No Shame in Turning Back
Stories from our home at 682.5 metres above sea level
I was not born here. I was born in South America, grew up between cultures, and arrived in Norway as an adult. I have now lived here longer than anywhere else. Five years ago, I became a Norwegian citizen. And yet every Easter, without fail, I find myself watching this country with the same slightly bewildered affection I had the very first time.
When I share these observations with Arne, who was born here and has never known anything different, he laughs. And then he says: I never thought of it that way.
Which is, I think, exactly the point.
The Great Norwegian Contradiction
Norwegians spend all winter complaining about the cold. And the snow. And then the cold again. And just when the temperatures begin to rise and the snow starts to melt in the valleys — they pack their bags and head straight for the mountains. For more snow. More cold. More of everything they have been complaining about since October.
Arne finds nothing unusual about this.
Easter in Norway works a little like Thanksgiving in America — it does not matter much whether you are religious or not. Everyone takes part. The whole country stops, packs up, and goes somewhere. Schools close. Offices empty. And if you try to buy a litre of milk on the wrong day, you may be out of luck. It is, in the very best sense, a national institution.
The Cabin
The destination, almost always, is a cabin. And here it is worth knowing that there are two kinds.
The first kind has been in the family since just after the war. It has no indoor plumbing. The kitchen looks exactly as it did in 1952, and touching anything would be considered an act of some seriousness. The rituals are the same as they have always been — the same walks, the same meals, the same view from the same window. This is not nostalgia. This is the entire point.
The second kind has a heated driveway, a remote-controlled fireplace, and a refrigerator that someone else has already filled with food. It is, in every measurable way, more comfortable than the first kind.
The owners of the first kind of cabin have opinions about this. They do not always say them out loud. They do not need to.
What to Wear
Arne’s grandmother talking to a cabin owner an Easter in the 1980s.
If you are heading to a Norwegian mountain cabin for Easter, there is a particular way to dress. A Norwegian patterned sweater — ideally one that has lived in the cabin since your great-grandfather wore it and smells faintly of woodsmoke and several decades of good use. Knickerbockers to the knee. Coloured knitted stockings, never white. And lace-up cross-country ski boots of the old-fashioned variety.
It is a beautiful way to dress. It is also, I have noticed, more commonly seen on people who do not actually live here year-round. Those of us who do tend to observe from a respectful distance.
I will say this, however. Those old cabin sweaters are not simply something you put on at Easter. They are a national treasure. Over the years, whenever we have visited friends in their cabins around the country, we have found the most extraordinary pieces — sweaters of real age and astonishing beauty, with patterns we had never seen anywhere else, folded quietly in drawers or hanging on hooks as though they were perfectly ordinary objects. We always asked permission to photograph them. They have been more useful to our work than we can properly explain.
Arne grew up surrounded by sweaters like these. He never thought to find them remarkable.
I still do.
A Few Things I Have Noticed About Easter in Norway
Every Easter, Norwegian publishers release a carefully curated list of new crime novels specifically for the holiday. Every bookshop window fills with them. NRK, the national broadcaster, publishes its annual guide to the top ten Easter crime series with the same gravity it normally reserves for matters of national importance. This tradition is called påskekrim. It goes back to the 1920s, when a publisher had the inspired idea of marketing a new crime novel on the front page of a newspaper as though it were breaking news. Readers were gripped. The idea caught. It never let go. We spent many years in the book industry. Every autumn, while we were busy with our Christmas books, our colleagues in the crime department were already thinking about Easter.
Today, even milk cartons carry a murder mystery at Easter. This is not a metaphor. This is something that actually happens. I mentioned this to a friend from abroad recently. She did not believe me.
Many of the older outhouses — the ones reached by a short walk through the snow — have not one hole but three. I noticed this early on and asked Arne for an explanation. He had never considered it before. We have discussed it at some length since. Our best theory: no one should have to sit alone in a dark outhouse in the mountains reading about murders.
Oranges are deeply and inexplicably associated with Norwegian Easter. They appear everywhere — in cabins, in ski bags, in children’s pockets. The most likely explanation is that oranges were once a luxury, something that arrived in the shops in late winter like a quiet promise of better things ahead. Whatever the origin, the tradition is firmly established. You bring oranges to Easter the way you bring cranberry sauce to Thanksgiving. It is simply not discussed.
Kvikk lunsj is Norway’s most beloved Easter chocolate. Imagine a Kit Kat. Now imagine it is not quite a Kit Kat, that it comes in a red, yellow and green wrapper printed with the fjellvettregler — the nine rules of mountain safety that every Norwegian knows by heart. Rule number nine is our favourite: det er ingen skam å snu — there is no shame in turning back. The fact that this requires an official rule, printed on a chocolate wrapper and memorised from childhood, tells you everything you need to know about Norwegians and their relationship with the mountains. Kvikk lunsj is considered the correct thing to eat at a rest stop on a cross-country ski trail, preferably with a thermos of hot chocolate and a reasonable sense of personal achievement. At Easter, there is a reliable national shortage. Every year. This is accepted as one of the minor hardships of the season, alongside the traffic and the weather.
Roast lamb is eaten on Easter Sunday. It connects the celebration to something older and more symbolic than most people stop to think about. Norway does lamb very well. This is not the place to argue about it.
Norwegians say they are born with skis on their feet. At Easter, you believe them. The Birkebeiner — one of the most famous cross-country ski races in the world, 54 kilometres through the mountains of central Norway — takes place in the weeks around Easter. But the Birkebeiner is only the most well known of many. During påskeferie, races happen everywhere: organised events, local competitions, and entirely spontaneous family races that are taken completely seriously by all involved. I have learned not to be surprised by any of this.
Out on the trails, you will find bonfires. Around them, children in ski boots eating grilled hot dogs, a thermos of hot chocolate being passed between adults who have just skied further than they probably should have. It is not a complicated scene. It is a very good one.
682.5 Metres Above Sea Level
We live at 682.5 metres, on a former train station next to a lake that freezes solid every winter. By rights, we should have snow for Easter. And we used to. But winters here are changing, and some years now the snow is thin even at our altitude. On those years, everyone drives a little higher. The one remaining slope fills with six million Norwegians who all had the same idea and are all pretending this is a relaxing holiday.
My first Easter here, the sun was shining and the lake was frozen. And there, on the ice, were people. Not just ice-fishing — though there was plenty of that — but lying on sun loungers, under umbrellas, as though they were on a beach somewhere warm. In full winter clothing. On a frozen lake. In the sunshine.
It was one of the strangest and most wonderful things I had ever seen.
I have lived here many years now. I mentioned it to Arne recently — the sun loungers, the umbrellas, the ice. He laughed. I never thought of it that way, he said.
Some things you only notice when you arrive from somewhere else.
When the sun shines in Norway, you go outside. The temperature is beside the point.
-Carlos
At Easter, we also bring out our knitted eggs. This year, we are putting our full collection of digital patterns on sale — all the eggs in every colour we love. You will find them in our shop. We wish you good snow, a good crime novel, and a very happy Easter wherever you are celebrating.
Fjellvettreglene — The Norwegian Mountain Code
Nine rules every Norwegian knows by heart. Printed, since 1952, on the wrapper of a chocolate bar.
- Plan your trip and inform others about the route you have selected.
- Adapt the planned routes according to ability and conditions.
- Pay attention to the weather and the avalanche warnings.
- Be prepared for bad weather and frost, even on short trips.
- Bring the necessary equipment so you can help yourself and others.
- Choose safe routes. Recognise avalanche terrain and unsafe ice.
- Use a map and a compass. Always know where you are.
- Save energy and seek shelter if necessary.
- Det er ingen skam å snu. There is no shame in turning back.
An unopened Kvikklunsj and the inside of the wrapping of the Kvikklunsj we already ate. Kvikklunsj has been a part of Norwegian hiking and skiing culture since 1937.
Skip to comment form
Thank you both so very much! I share some of these cultural things. I was born in Germany in 1962 and immigrated and live in Canada. I remember the Oranges, yes..every Christmas, and Easter too! Nice big, beautiful, great-tasting oranges! And your letter so reminds me of the time my first husband and I travelled with a group of Americans to Austria for a Winter Ski Holiday. Seeing the skiers at the summit drinking our hot drinks of choice, and sitting and resting on lawn chairs and catching some rays of sunshine. Not done in Canada 🍁. Too cold and no sun usually, lol. Thank you for your wonderful stories, reminds me of home..
Thank you so much for the lovely article! Winters here in my state of Wyoming (USA) have gotten a little different. The wind, though always a constant, has intensified. There was no snow to speak of. Most of the days were in the 50°F range, so no ice fishing, no shoveling driveways, and crunchy, crispy grass. One wonders what the rest of the year will bring.
Again, thank you for sharing a beautiful bit of life in Norway.
I thoroughly enjoyed this post! What fun to learn of other people’s traditions. Thanks from another northerner (Canada).
Loved reading this! Thank you for sharing! Enjoyed learning about Easter traditions in Norway. Happy Easter to you, Carlos and Arne. Blessings to both of you and your families.
What a wonderful Easter story. Great Blog. Thank you for showing this 83 year old how to steek without fainting! Norwegian style knitting rules! Love it and all the knitters around the world who unite in this beautiful craft.Happy Easter to you both from Shepherdstown, West Virginia , USA
What a lovely post about Norwegian Easter. Happy Easter to you both!
Oh love your stories! Live, love, laugh every day. Life is too short not to. Thank you for the smiles😄
A most interesting article about the Norwegian Easter. Thanks Carlis. It was a good read.
Loved this blog post! Thanks for sharing and Happy Easter to both of you!
Thank you so much for this informative message. I really enjoyed reading it. I hope you both have a happy and safe Easter, and thank you for teaching me the cha cha cha of Norwegian purling!!!!
Hi Arne and Carlos
A good friend of ours whose family was Norwegian. Built a replica cabin in British Columbia, we had the privilege to visit but it was only accessible by helicopter. Originally they put skins on their skis and cross countried in. Water was hauled in from the lake, we had an outside toilet and a sauna built into the side of the mountain.
When we were due to leave the weather turned foul and we were socked in for an extra few days, we lived on the provisions left in the cabin!
Cheers
Christina
Thank you. This was very well written. From Australia.
I just loved reading this post. Absorbing and fascinating and heart-warming. Thank you!
Beautiful. Well written and completely lovely. Having been blessed to spend a cruise with you, I read the words hearing your voices. I brought several of those candy bars back to the states and still have one I’m saving for this Easter.
These quiet reflections warm my heart. I can see these in a book- intermixed with SAKFAB stories as well and pictures you’ve shared of your home.
Food for thought… and perhaps another project.
Knitting and Life from a Norway Train Station.
Thanks for such an enjoyable read – love the stories behind the traditions!
A wonderful, well written, and informative gentle note! It is calming and very thoughtful. I can picture the towering mountain, crisp white snow, and warm flames of the fire. You and Arne sitting around the fire sipping the hot chocolate and sharing a delicious, chocolate bar. How awesome!! Thank you for sharing.
A wonderful, well written, and informative gentle note! It is calming and very thoughtful. I can picture the towering mountain, crisp white snow, and warm flames of the fire. You and Arne sitting around the fire sipping the hot chocolate and sharing a delicious, chocolate bar. How awesome!! Thank you for sharing.
Beautiful writing and a joy to read about the Norwegian Easter traditions.
Thank you! I needed something to make my heart smile here in the USA. Have a great Easter to you and Arne.
In the West Indies my spouses family flies kites on Easter to signify Jesus has risen.
Carlos Thank you for taking me to Norway for Easter. What a beautiful holiday you have given me with your wonderful writing. Happy Easter to you and Arne. Enjoy your chocolate ,sunshine and reading. The Lamb sounds very special.
Carlos Thank you for taking me to Norway for Easter. What a beautiful holiday you have given me with your wonderful writing. Happy Easter to you and Arne. Enjoy your chocolate ,sunshine and reading. The Lamb sounds very special.
This is so lovely. I am reading sitting by the River Fowey in Cornwall, UK, where we usually spend Easter. There are no mountains and no snow and it’s a bit chilly. However yesterday the sun came out and even though it was still only March, my husband decided to lay out on the lounger, fully clothed but no sun umbrella. And why not. I hope you and Arne have a wonderful Easter. It’s sad your lake isn’t frozen. Pictures of you both reclining in the sun would have been a treat. 😊
Is your altitude considered high? In California it is considered low foothills.
The best Easter read! Beautifully observed and put into words. Happy Easter 🤗🌿 🐣🍊🍋🍫🌷🌼
So beautifully written Carlos, thank you. I just love the description of the old cabin with the basic amenities, we are first generation Latvian Australians and our parents did this in the Snowy Mountains of New South Wales.
What a wonderful explanation of Norwegian Easter traditions. I am visiting in August from Australia hopefully I find some of that chocolate if it isn’t seasonal. Also will be visiting wool shops and aim to buy some lovely garn💕💕💕
What a wonderful post. I love reading your writing Carlos and will enjoy it until you decide to write a book on the full and almost magical lives that you and Arne have lead.
I love the picture of Arne’s grandmother. She has a sassy look about her like Arne. I laughed out loud at Arne’s theory about the outhouse.
Have a wonderful holiday and stay safe if on the slopes.
Wonderful essay, Carlos.
This is such a lovely read. Thank you for sharing. I never thought of it that way!
This was wonderful!! It made me wish I was in Norway for Easter. Thank you!! Such excellent writing!!
That was a blissful escape. How well you write! I was transported. Thank you.
Dear Arne & Carlos, I truly enjoy and look forward to learning more about Norway from you both. I also remember, in the last 10 years, learning about the 9 rules, the candy bars, the oranges and the lamb dinner. I smiled so much reading this! I could nearly hear Carlos voice, and hear Arne’s laugh & smile saying, I never thought about it like that!
May this Easter welcome you with the warmth of tradition, a special surprise of joy in something new, and more stories to share after the Easter holiday!
What a beautifully written piece! Thank you for sharing your thoughts Carlos.
What a lovely and thoughtful piece. I knew watching crime drama on Mhz was a holiday event. Happy Easter from Pittsburgh. Alicia
What a lovely missive, and so beautifully written.
Thank you.
I live everything about this: the content, the style, everything! Thank you for taking the time to write this and share your experiences. It’s inspiring!
Beautifully written, Carlos, and so evocative. I re-read it several times, with a broad smile. Thank you for sharing! God Paske!
Such beautiful writing. Please come back to Australia again soon.
this was beautiful to read! I love all of it. I think the 9 rules should apply to many things. just a pleasure. thank you for writing this for us. the pictures are sooo good too.
Haha! As a transplant to Norway I have found some of the holidays bewildering, so I’m glad I’m not the only one. The many days of Easter, Whitsunday and Whitmonday, and especially Ascension Day… Why so many Christian holidays in a country where people aren’t very religious? I have been caught off guard so many times when going to a store to pick up groceries and finding it closed for some obscure holiday. Now on New Year’s Day I put all of the Norwegian holidays in the calendar on my phone. And as someone who doesn’t have a cabin, I try to be somewhere else for Easter.
Thank you Carlos, I so enjoyed learning about Norwegian Easter traditions. Your piece,as always, was beautifully written and I especially loved the photos. The sweaters are spectacular and always give me the urge to knit one!
You know how interested I am in different holiday traditions around the world, so this was an absolute delight.
Are there specific Easter recipes?
Take care on this joyful day and HAPPY BUNNY DAY!
How I enjoy your blog. And, the photos, too! I didn’t realize that Easter is such a special time in Norway. That makes me appreciate your knitted Easter eggs. Happy Easter to you two!
P.S. Jo Nesbo is one of my fave authors.
Thank you Carlos for this wonderful description of Easter in Norway!
Quite a few years ago hubby and I adopted the Icelandic tradition of a gifted book for Christmas Eve. I think I now need to adopt the Easter Norwegian crime novel!
What are the favourite authors/series that you and Arne enjoy?
Anne 🇨🇦
Hi Arne & Carlos
Thank you for this charming blog! Carlos, your writing touches my heart each time, but in this one, you have taken my hand and led me on a magical tour of Norwegian traditions.
It is thanks to both of you that I knit outside in the Canadian Rockies as the winter turns to spring. I think people begin their gardening plans when they see me on my bench in the yard!
Thank you as always for the gifts you’ve brought to my life.
Carlos, what a wonderful explanation. The information about oranges caught my eye. I am 80 born and raised in the USA, when I was a child getting an orange in the Christmas stocking was a BIG deal! Thank you again.
Ya, det er det.
Thank you once again. Not only do you continue you continue to share yiur passions with us, but your culture.
Happy Easter from Oregon.
Dear Carlos, what a thoughtful blog, thank you! Your saying, “there is no shame in turning back”, can be applied to so many parts of our lives, and it is hitting home for me. I’m a Canadian citizen living in the USA, yearning and making plans to move back to Canada, but feeling like moving back is a show of failure, that I made a mistake moving here. But no, there is no shame in turning back. There is no shame in moving back. I’ve noted this Norwegian Rule #9 in my daybook where I can see it and remind myself to keep moving forward and be true to myself.
Carlos, you are an excellent writer. Happy Easter to you both!
Sending love from Minnesota.
What a beautiful account. Thank you for sharing this!
Great piece……Thanks Carlos! Happy Easter to both you and Arne.
As for Arne’s grandmother’s different ski lengths, I found this:
Yes, some Norwegians use asymmetric cross-country ski setups with one ski longer than the other, particularly in backcountry or touring scenarios for improved balance and efficiency. This practice, known as “one long, one short” (often with the left ski ~10-15 cm longer), helps the left leg (typically the weaker or pushing leg) generate better grip and propulsion on uneven terrain.
The longer ski provides more surface area for gliding and stability on the “glide phase,” while the shorter ski enhances maneuverability and kick power. This setup stems from traditional Norwegian ski heritage, where terrain demands versatility over perfectly matched pairs.
Elite Norwegian skiers occasionally experiment with length variations based on body weight, height, and snow conditions, though standard matched pairs dominate racing. Manufacturers like Åsnes offer guidance tailored to such preferences.
Norwegian cross-country skiing often emphasizes practical adaptations like these in varied landscapes.
What a delightful piece. I now want to spend Easter in Norway!
Thank you Carolos. Since I most probably will never get to visit Norway at Easter I was delighted for you to tell me what it would be like.
What a beautifully witten piece,Carlos!I wish you both a very happy Easter!
Ice fishing and sun bathing on a frozen northern Canada lake in late March? Heaven. I read Norwegian mysteries whenever I can find the ones translated to English for me. Now I have learned about the tradition of publishing them at Easter. I enjoyed your letter so much, Carlos. Happy Easter to you and Arne.
I suspect the reason for the three hole outhouse was a little more pragmatic. Families used to be much larger. Nine children divide nicely into groups of three, and it sure beats standing out in the cold with your legs crossed.
Reading this made me inexplicably happy. Thank you! 🙂
His name was Helmer – we do miss him
Thank you for a wonderful blog, Carlos. You have such respect and awe for the customs and I’d love to see some of those sweaters you mentioned. I hope you both have a blessed Easter !
Hi guys
love watching both on youtube…Why cant buy paper knitted patterns….
Martha
Melbourne
Australia..
Beautiful prose (as always) — so evocative of a time and place. Enjoy the snow and chocolate treats!
Trying to recall. . . the name of the male poodle who stayed with you for some time? He was a delightful character!
Carlos, when are you going to write a crime novel? Your writing is superb and your characters would be so well written considering your eye and ear for detail. You and Arne have so many talents. Thanks for sharing.
Happy Easter!
I experienced Easter in Norway 2 years ago. Oslo was empty, places were closed, but the train to Bergen was still running but packed with people and skis. My siblings that I traveled with couldn’t understand why I needed to buy a mystery novel. Once I told them about the tradition they found theirs to read. Although we didn’t stay in a cabin we were in a small hotel on the edge of a fjord. Everything was blanketed in snow and was so beautiful. Thank you for sharing your thoughts, it brought back my memories of Easter in Norway.
I so enjoyed reading this, thank you – and God påske! Christine xx
What a wonderful, calming essay. I am with you two: Nobody should have to sit alone in the dark and freezing cold, reading about horrible murders by spooky flashlight. And on my trip to Norway with you two last summer aboard the Trollfjord I made sure to buy myself several Kvikk Lunsj bars, the wrappers of which I have kept to make sure to always be safe here in the wilds of Arlington, Virginia (altitude 83 meters, 272 feet).
A wonderful read of traditions in Norway at Easter time! I so enjoyed it. Those of us who live in other countries may not know of these traditions which sound very unique. Thank you for sharing your experiences with such humor. Happy Easter! 🐣
Carlos, what a wonderful letter. Your writing is superb and your observations are so interesting. Wishing you both a happy Easter!
Thank you for sharing your perspective. I am flying in on Easter Sunday. I will skip the skiing but hopefully enjoy some of the chocolate. I love the idea of a murder mystery every year.
This was an interesting story about Norway and Easter.
I forgot to say that my guess about the 2 or 3 holes in the outhouse was for a parent and children to go together and/or for safety in heavy snowstorms so they had each other for help in deep snow and maybe had a rope tied between the house and outhouse so they didn’t get lost if the storm was so bad you had no visibility. And now I am wondering if it might not have been for sharing body heat to warm the room as well? I imagine they were pretty chilly!
That was so wonderful and interesting to read! I love history, culture and learning how different countries celebrate holidays so everything was covered, even knitting! 😍. I enjoyed hearing about your reactions as a citizen too. My daughters were born in Florida and raised in Southern states while I was born and raised near the Canadian border in New York State. They can’t believe we had so much snow, how we dealt with it, how long it took us to dress to go out and see if the mail went yet and why would we live there? We never thought a thing about it and I loved winter!
Thank you again for such a wonderful article. I wish you and Arne a joy filled Easter! 🐣
Thank you for your writing! This was so wonderful to read! I love hearing your stories about Norway and life there.
Such a lovely story. I felt myself calming down as I read it, something I really needed to do. I always look for you both on YouTube and in doing so I always find laughter and good feelings. Happy Easter!
I so enjoyed this post. Keep up the traditions and have a safe Easter.
This was wonderful! And the three-hole outhouse reminds me of a joke about a two-holer told in my neck of the woods (Maine, USA). I will try to remember it properly.
Two old fellows, Bert and Fred, are sitting side by side in the old two-holer, doing what one does in an outhouse. Bert finishes, and as he pulls his trousers up, a coin falls out of his pocket and into the hole. He looks down, sighs, takes out his wallet and throws a twenty dollar bill into the hole. Fred, startled, says, “What did you do that for?” Bert replies, “I’m not going down there for just five cents, don’t you know.”
I really loved reading this, what a beautiful piece of writing.
What a really lovely post. Have a very Happy Easter both of you.
I love everything about this post! Happy Easter Arne and Carlos ♡
This was lovely! Thank you! I’m not of Norwegian descent (a bit of Danish…) but I follow you for the knitting. What a surprise!
Is it me or is the picture of Arne’s grandmother’s skis a bit weird? It looks like her left ski is much shorter than the right one…that can’t be right!
Happy Easter to you both, your families and all those reading this! 🐣
Such a wonderful essay Carlos. Many thanks for sharing these stories. It reminded me of many Easters where as a small child our family would head up to camp in the high deserts of Northern Nevada otherwise known as the Great Basin USA) . We’d have a large oil cloth canvas tent with a small wood stove in the center and wake as the smell of fresh snow, cooked bacon and eggs filled the very brisk dark space. There were strange noises outside. We thought it was coyotes or foxes but to our delight we were informed that the Easter bunny had visited. We had to wait until the crack of dawn and began searching for colored eggs and chocolate in the sagebrush.
Cheers!
Grand ramblings that were a joy to read! Thank you for giving sunshine from your place!
Thank you Carlos for a wonderful read. I moved to the Netherlands 4 years ago, and some Dutch traditions etc. fill me with “what am I seeing” and my Dutch husband does not understand why I think it strange.
An enjoyable read. Thank you
Well told. I’ve wanted to go to Norway since I was 9 years old and read about it in social studies. The pictures were enchanting. I will not becoming in the fall, winter, or spring. I don’t do cold. Hats off to those who do.
I love my Norwegian heritage. It makes perfect sense to print the mountain rules on something everyone will see, and I, too, embrace the sun while fully clothed but lying on my back on my frozen lake in Canada.
Oh Carlos, this is just lovely! Thank you. Happy Easter, you two!
“Do not go alone” is also a pretty powerful rule. Happy springtime!
Thank you Carlos, this is a wonderful insight into the Easter traditions in Norway! Happy Easter to you and Arne, I hope your Crime novels are extra spicy reading this Easter!💖🤗Karin