New Year's Eve In The Norwegian Mountains

The best start to any year

For the second year in a row, we decided to spend New Year’s Eve by renting a cabin in the mountains here in Norway and I am hoping to make it an every-year tradition.

Since our son is still not completely agreeable to long car trips, we’ve visited many areas in a 3–4 hour radius from our home in southern Norway and are hopeful that we’ll be able to properly travel soon, and finally, visit all those beautiful spots Norway is famous for (and the ones nobody knows about!).

The reasons why we love spending New Year’s Eve in the mountains are many, for example:

1. It’s just SO beautiful

We live in southern Norway with many nice forests, trails, waterfalls, and other gems of nature. The places for strolls and hikes and endless, and we definitely don’t fall short of the many beautiful places to visit.

However, the real mountains of Norway are breathtaking. The views from higher altitudes are something I would happily travel for any time, or even move for. Less traffic and sound pollution (not that we have so much of it) make it all the more special to enjoy.

2. We own a dog

And yes, he loves to run free in the wilderness of the never-ending forests, but as every pet owner will understand, we try to take him as far away from the fireworks as possible.

Norway has pretty strict rules when it comes to hours and days during which fireworks are allowed, which I am thankful for, but people are allowed to use them on New Year’s Eve in unlimited quantities. So shielding our dog from unnecessary stress has become a priority.

3. Deepening the feeling of belonging

Spending the holidays as an immigrant family without much (sometimes any) of our family around can become a little depressing. Many Norwegians spend them by traveling to cabins during this time, and the towns left behind can feel quite empty which only adds to the feeling of loneliness. Traveling has undeniably proved very helpful for me to feel like we really are a part of this society.

So far, the cabin trips within Norway have never disappointed me. And especially for the winter holidays, it feels like the little cabin towns are liven up by the influx of people from the cities. They never feel overcrowded though (as I’ve experienced in Aspen or Vail for example).

The following are some of the reflections I consider mention-worthy when it comes to our experience renting a cabin in Norway:

1. The strange reservation system and trustworthiness

What never ceases to surprise me is how trustworthy Norwegians are. And they consider the other person trustworthy as well. The reservation process for this-year cabin went something like this via email:

Me: Hello, I’d like to reserve a cabin for the following dates if available.

Cabin owner: Hi, we reserved the cabin for you.

Me thinking to myself: Did I really just book a cabin with one email?

As the departure date got closer, and my worries kicked in, I tried to follow up with another email regarding the check-in hours.

The reply: You can come whenever you’d like.

And the same at the check-out.

No contact details, no deposit, just an expectation that we’ll show up. After we left, we got an email invoice which we paid once we got home. Of course, not every cabin owner is so easygoing, but this is not the first time I am met with complete trust from people that do not know me.

2. The hospitality of the cabin owners

Most cabins are owned and rented by a private person, a (un)married couple, or a family. This really reflects the hospitality and warmth of the entire stay.

Cabins are taken care of as somebody’s own house and not just a product for money making. Cabin owners frequently check in and create short-term relationships with the tenants. Last year, when our car got stuck in the snow, the cabin owner drove his tractor to pull us out.

Thanks to their attitude, most other visitors are also in the mood of getting to know one another and celebrate the New Year together.

3. Bring your own sheets and clean up after yourself

The one thing that always surprised me was that blankets and pillows were included in the price of the cabin, but sheets, pillowcases, and towels were not. You are either expected to bring your own (seriously?) or pay an additional price per set of sheets and towels. I still find this amusing, since we obviously need those and it’s not something optional.

Similarly, cleaning the cabin is left up to the tenants as we are told to leave the cabin in the same state we found it in. There is sometimes an option to pay a cleaning fee, but not always.

However, the rest of the cabin’s equipment exceeds the standards with the abundant kitchen tools, outdoor grills and wood, and, obviously, cleaning supplies. Except for the cabins that are purposefully built without water supply and electricity to offer the ultimate cabin experience (haven’t done this yet in Norway, since we have a toddler, but had one as a kid and absolutely loved it).

Renting a cabin in Norway any time of the year is one of my absolute favorite experiences. The beauty of nature around you is guaranteed almost wherever you go, whether it is in the mountains, by lakes, fjords, or just in the middle of the forest. And doing these trips at the turn of the year has a little added magic to them.

Thank you, Norway, for maintaining these simple opportunities for enjoyment and regaining inner peace, so we can recharge and accumulate energy needed for everyday life 💙🇳🇴💙