5. C. Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson The children's parade (barnetog) is a cherished staple on Syttende Mai-but it wasn't always a part of the festivities. The beloved tradition kicked off in 1870, when Norwegian poet and playwright Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson (who also wrote the text of the national anthem) organized the first children's parade. Bjørnson joined more than a thousand boys on the streets of Christiania (now Oslo) that year. Girls joined the parade nearly two decades later. @sonsofnorway May 2022 21 BY PHOTO NANISIMOVA / SHUTTERSTOCK