This Whit Monday, June 5th, is the third Norwegian bank holiday in less than three weeks, and the last in a series of inneklemte dager, or 'squeeze days'.
And Norwegians are good at making these extra holidays last, Knut Morten Johansen, head of communications at Scandinavian Airlines (SAS), told NRK.
“Norwegians are famous for making the most of 'squeeze days.' That means it doesn't take too many holidays before you have almost the entire month off,” he said.
He added that airlines in Norway note a change in travel patterns during these long weekends, and the preferred destinations have changed in recent years:
“We note that people are good at planning trips for long weekends like these. We also see a tendency for people to travel further away on long weekends than previously. People nowadays go to New York almost in the same way they used to go to London,” Andersen told NRK.
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And 2018 brings good news to holiday makers, as fortunate timing means even more inneklemte dager than in 2017.
Firstly, because the public holidays on May 1st and May 17th are on weekdays in 2018. Secondly, because these days create a maximum of 'squeeze days' offering the possibility to take an extra day off work, creating a long weekend.
- May 1st is on a Tuesday, meaning Monday April 30th will be squeezed in between the weekend and International Workers' Day.
- Ascension Day, as always, is on a Thursday. A Friday after a bank holiday is mostly a day off for schools, resulting in a long weekend.
- May 17th, Norway's National Day, is on a Thursday – resulting in another long weekend.
- Whit Monday is more than two weeks earlier in 2018 than this year, meaning May 21st gives Norwegians even more days off in May.
Lots of long weekends in May 2018. Image credit: Norskkalender.no
Fans of long holidays in the spring should make the most of May 2018, as it will be eleven years until the next 'squeeze day jackpot' in 2029.
Viktor Andersen has made his own website for keeping an eye on upcoming inneklemte dager. He told NRK he is hoping to take some time off next spring.
“I don't have any concrete plans yet, but if I have time while studying I might go for a hike in the mountains, or perhaps a trip abroad, which I usually do when these possibilities arise,” he said.
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