17th of May 1814 at Eidsvoll was the day Norway got their constitution. We mark this day by wearing special clothes called bunads. These bunads have different designs depending on where in Norway you come from. Bunads are made for both boys and girls. They're handmade, and decorated with silver. There is a lot of embroidery on them. Most of them are passed down through generations. On the right you can see a picture of a typical Norwegian bunad.

We march down the streets singing our national songs called, "Ja vi elsker" "Gud sign vår Konge God" "Gud sign vårt fedreland" and "Vi være en nasjon vi med." On the morning of May 17th everyone meets at the school early in the morning, and we all march down to a specific place. While we march, we sing the national songs. We also make banners which are called faner in Norwegian. You can see an example of a Norwegian faner in the picture on the right. (Here is more information about the Children's Parade in Norway.)

The "Russ" are students who are just about to graduate from secondary school, so they are about 17/18 years old. The "Russ" stay up all night and wear funny hats and red and blue outfits. They drive around in a red or blue bus, which they have bought themselves. Unfortunately there's a lot of drinking during this celebration. The "Russ" also make something we call "Russekort". "Russekort" are cards on which there is a picture of them, and they have written something like a joke, their biggest accomplishment or something they want to achieve. Some print thousands of cards which they pass out to children or anyone who wants them. (Here are some pictures from the "Russ" celebration in Stavanger in 1999.)

We celebrate this day because it's the day the Norwegians got their constitution. Denmark and Sweden had always been the more powerful of the Scandinavian countries, and both had earlier ruled Norway. Earlier, the name of Norway's capital city Oslo was changed to Christiania, after the Danish king Christian Fredrik IV. Later when Norway gained its constitution, Norway changed the name of its capital city back to Oslo.

The constitution contains who's allowed to vote, the powers of the king, how the parliament is set up and run, the legislative powers and much more about how to run the country.