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Lesson Transcript

Hello, and welcome to the Culture Class- Holidays in Norway Series at NorwegianClass101.com. In this series, we’re exploring the traditions behind Norwegian holidays and observances. I’m Michael, and you're listening to Season 1, Lesson 15 - Shrovetide. In Norwegian, it’s called fastelavn.
Shrovetide is a tradition celebrated by the Norwegian people which historically was the initiation of the forty-day fasting period. Shrovetide lasts for three days and begins the Sunday seven weeks before Easter.
In this lesson we will introduce what Norwegians typically do on Shrovetide.
Now, before we get into more detail, do you know the answer to this question-
Do you know what the "fastelavnsris", meaning Shrovetide birch twig, was used for in the old days?
If you don't already know, you’ll find out a bit later. Keep listening.
Though Shrovetide literally means “the evening before the fast”, it actually begins three days before, on Shrovetide Sunday. On this Sunday, people eat large quantities of food, an old custom dictating that everyone should eat nine times in each of the corners in the living room. That means that according to this custom, a person was to eat thirty-six times in just one day!
On day two, blue Monday, Norwegians believe one should eat junk foods, or dårlig mat, to ensure they will be really hungry on fat Tuesday. On fat Tuesday people would eat a lot of fatty meat and porridge. The reason for calling this day “blue Monday” was due to the fact that preachers in church use blue cloth at their altars to show that the fasting period, or in Norwegian fasteperioden, had begun.
In recent times, almost no Norwegians celebrate Shrovetide in this way, and customs such as eating thirty-six times a day are almost unheard of. It is, however, common to eat Shrovetide buns, or fastelavnsboller. Shrovetide buns are wheat buns filled with cream, vanilla cream, or jam.
Fastelavnsris is another item associated with Shrovetide that can be found in almost all Norwegian homes. Fastelavnsris is birch branches that are placed in a vase with water and decorated with colorful feathers. In 1946, the Norwegian Women’s Health Association began making and selling fastelavnsris. The money collected was, and still is, donated to charity, or veldedighet in Norwegian, for sick and elderly people in Norway.
Now it's time to answer our quiz question-
Do you know what fastelavnris was used for in the old days?
In the old days, people used to whip animals and women with fastelavnsris to make them more fertile. Birch branches were viewed as a sign of life because of the green buds. It was also common for children to sneak in to their parents’ or neighbors’ homes early in the morning to give them a surprise wake-up whipping!
So listeners, what did you think of this lesson? Did you learn anything interesting?
Do you celebrate Shrovetide in your country?
Leave us your comments at NorwegianClass101.com, and we'll see you in the next lesson.

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