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Father’s Day

When is Father’s Day?

Father’s Day is the second Sunday in November in Norway. Here is the date for this year and the next ten years, why it’s in November and not June, and what hits the mark as a gift for the one who says he doesn’t need anything.

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Datoen for i år og de neste ti årene

Farsdag 2026

Det er 54 dager til farsdag. Father’s Day is always the second Sunday in November, so the date falls between 8th and 14th November.

Since the day is tied to a weekday rather than a fixed date, it shifts slightly each year. Here are the next ten:

ÅrFarsdag
2026
2027
2028
2029
2030
2031
2032
2033
2034
2035

Hvorfor er farsdag i november?

Father's Day is much younger than Mother's Day and has no long-standing traditions behind it. It was introduced in Norway after the war, essentially as a counterbalance to Mother's Day.

During the interwar period, Father's Day was celebrated in early June in the Nordic countries. Then, at the request of the retail industry in the Nordic countries, the day was moved to the second Sunday in November – to create more distance from Mother's Day in February. So, it is a date set by the shops, not by tradition.

The idea itself came from the USA, where Sonora Smart Dodd from Spokane initiated the day after attending a Mother's Day celebration. The first observance took place in 1907, and in the USA Father's Day only became an official holiday in 1972.

Farsdag er mindre feiret enn morsdag

It’s worth saying outright: Father’s Day has never caught up with Mother’s Day in Norway. The sales figures around the day are significantly lower, and for many adult children it goes unnoticed.

Paradoxically, this makes it a cheaper occasion to make an impression. A greeting on Father’s Day is less expected than on Mother’s Day, and therefore often hits harder.

Hva gir man i farsdagsgave?

The problem is well known: he says he doesn’t need anything, and means it half-heartedly. Four approaches that still work:

  • Something he uses up. Good coffee, a bottle of something he wouldn’t buy himself, proper chocolate. No one has been disappointed by something that disappears.
  • Something for the hobby he actually has. Not the hobby you think he should have. Proof that you’ve been paying attention is half the gift.
  • Time. A trip, a match, a day in the workshop. For many fathers, this is the only gift that matters.
  • Something he chooses himself. Works especially well if he has specific tastes and you’ve missed the mark before.

If you’re completely stuck, gift for the person who has everything is written for exactly this situation.

Hva skriver man på farsdagskortet?

Fathers receive cards less often than mothers, and they read them more carefully than they admit. Mention one specific thing: something he taught you, a habit you’ve inherited, a time he stepped up without being asked.

Suggestions for wording can be found in birthday greetings – most can be adapted for Father’s Day without further ado. If several siblings are writing in the same card, joint gift explains how.

Og når er morsdag?

Second Sunday in February – Norway is among the few countries that celebrate Mother’s Day midwinter. The date for this year and the next ten are listed in when is Mother’s Day.

Frequently asked questions about Father’s Day

When is Father’s Day in Norway?

Father’s Day is the second Sunday in November in Norway. The date changes every year but always falls between 8th and 14th November. The same applies in the other Nordic countries.

Why is Father’s Day in November?

Father’s Day was introduced in Norway after the war as a counterbalance to Mother’s Day. During the interwar period it was marked in early June in the Nordic countries, but at the request of the trade industry in the Nordic countries, the day was moved to the second Sunday in November – to create more distance from Mother’s Day.

Is Father’s Day an official public holiday?

No. Father’s Day is a commemorative day, not a public holiday, and it’s not a flag day. Shops and public transport follow the usual Sunday schedule.

What do you give for Father’s Day?

Something he uses up or uses often hits the mark best: good coffee, a bottle of something he wouldn’t buy himself, or an experience you share together. Fathers are notoriously hard to buy for because they say they don’t need anything – a gift card he chooses himself works well here.

Is Father’s Day less celebrated than Mother’s Day?

Yes. Father’s Day has never reached the popularity of Mother’s Day in Norway, and sales figures around the day are significantly lower. It is still marked in most families with children.

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    When is Father’s Day? Date, traditions and gift tips | hygge