In this expert takeover of the blog, Seattle writer and editor Kjersti Egerdahl teaches us how to pickle herring the Viking way.  She is the author of The Viking Hondbók, a fun and fascinating look at Vikings and the Viking Age published this year by Running Press.

Himmeli are Finnish Christmas ornaments in the shape of a little geometric mobile. Traditionally made from straw or reeds, in recent years metal himmeli sculptures have become popular as displays for air plants.

In 2020, the National Nordic Museum holds its first Nordic Genealogy Conference. Professional genealogists and subject matter experts from North America and the Nordic countries will share insights about family history research, genealogy, and tracing heritage origins through a wide range of resources including folk literature, immigration records, and genetic testing.

In this expert takeover of the blog, Scandinavian studies graduate student Brad Harmon discusses the unique film industry of the Faroe Islands. 

If you ask most people what bird comes to mind when they think about Iceland, the answer will be puffins! The puffin—or lundi in Icelandic—is often called the "clown of the sea" thanks to its brightly colored beak. Decorate your own puffin quartet in this fun coloring project! Print out the blank template, or draw your own four puffin outlines, then color them in with all kinds of different colors.