matosofi

Fastelavn is celebrated the Sunday before Ash Wednesday and evolved from the Roman Catholic tradition of celebrating the days before Lent. Often referred to as the Nordic Halloween, children will dress up in costumes and gather treats for the fastelavn feast. Although we don’t see as much of this tradition in Norway, it’s still very much practiced in Denmark, who I think are the masters of ‘fastelavn’ and are known for parades and festivities across the country.

The term fastelavn comes from the old Danish fastelaghen, again borrowed from the low German word vastel-avent, or fasten abend, meaning «fast evening».  Much like Fat Tuesday (or Mardi Gras) in this country, the day was created to ‘fatten up’ before the fast.  In Norway, this Tuesday is often referred to as «white Tuesday», when «white» food like flour and milk products were on the menu.  In fact, ‘fastelavn’ is not only one…