Budget negotiations could reach a final showdown, a series of Christmas events and passing the darkest point of the winter. Here are the events and changes to look forward to in Norway in December.
Parliament to vote on state budget for 2026
At the time of writing, Norway’s government does not yet have majority backing for its 2026 state budget.
Negotiations between the governing Labour Party and the Centre Party, Socialist Left Party, Green Party, and Red Party began on November 14th and are still ongoing with a deadline fast approaching (at the time of writing) on November 30th.
Once a deal is in place, a parliamentary majority will be able to adopt the budget proposal.
Usually, this takes place in September but the negotiations this year could become protracted because of the number of parties needed to get a majority for the budget.
Among the proposals in the draft version of the budget are cheaper childcare costs and adjustments to tax rates.
READ ALSO: How Norway’s 2026 budget could save (or cost) families money
Tax lists are published
One of Norway’s biggest annual tax events comes on December 3rd, when the Norwegian Tax Administration publishes its tax lists or skattelistene for the previous year.
The country publicly publishes its residents’ tax returns, and the information is available online on a database.
This means everyone’s tax returns from the previous year become open to see, whether they’re a billionaire, a celebrity, or even the prime minister.
Tax cards arrive
Workers in Norway should receive their tax cards for 2025 on December 15th. These cards are important as they dictate how much tax should be deducted from your salary.
You will need to log into the Norwegian Tax Administration’s website to check yours. Having the wrong tax card can mean you pay too much or too little tax.
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Christmas markets
A good Christmas market can get even the biggest Grinch in the mood for the festive period.
There are too many good ones to list for just one article, but some of our favourites include the annual Christmas fair at the Norwegian Museum of Cultural History, the exceedingly popular Christmas market in Egersund, near Stavanger and the annual market in Bergen.
Thankfully, we have compiled a comprehensive article on ten of the best in all of Norway. And if you will be going to a Christmas market, then be sure to try out some traditional foods and drinks. We’ve also got an article with our picks for what you should try too.
Oslo’s Christmas tree lights turned on
An annual tradition in Oslo is the lighting of the large Christmas tree at Universitetsplassen. The lighting takes place at 5pm on the first Sunday of advent, which is November 30th this year.
Given its proximity to the Winter Wonderland Christmas market in Oslo, you could spend a few hours before or after the lighting to soak up the atmosphere.
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Santa Lucia, December 13th
Santa Lucia is a Christian tradition that celebrates Lucia, a Christian girl born in Sicily in 283. She dedicated her life to helping others and wore a candle on her head to keep her hands free while she handed out food.
Long before Norwegians heard of Lucia, Santa Lucia was called Lussinatten, and you were forbidden from working (unfortunately, that tradition has long since died out).
Across the country, Lucia processions will be held in schools, workplaces, retirement homes and hospitals.
Children dress in all-white costumes, with one child selected to be Lucia, and they sing songs with candles on their heads. If the singing isn’t up your street, then luckily, the kids also hand out saffron buns called lussekatter.
What about days off over Christmas?
Schools will break up around December 22rd for the Christmas holidays and return again on January 2nd 2026. However, the exact dates are decided by local authorities, so check on your municipal or country website to confirm.
The last working day, unless booked off, will be December 23rd, with workers able to enjoy Wednesday December 24th, Thursday December 25th, and Friday December 26th off work.
New Year’s Day is also a public holiday. From the 2nd onwards, you can expect working schedules to return to normal.
Days to begin getting lighter
The shortest day of the year is in December. For plenty of people living in Norway, this means no day at all for weeks due the polar night.
But for the majority, the shortest day is followed by the days getting longer and lighter. The winter solstice, when the Earth tilts the furthest away from the Sun on its axis, occurs on December 21st.
This will come as a relief to anyone struggling with the current short days and long nights.