By all accounts, the Norse seafarers of old – better known as Vikings – were party animals. They would hold ragers that went on for days, mixing together music, storytelling, booze, games and a whole lot of other things that this article can’t mention. While it would be difficult to hold a party for literally days (after all, most people have to go to work on Monday), you can keep the Norse spirit of party alive with your very own, abbreviated Viking party.
Once you’ve finished throwing axes, and everyone has had a tipple or two of the mead, the next Viking thing you have to do is make a fire. While you have to do this at your own discretion, obviously, following local bylaws for seasons and locations, a fire is the perfect centrepiece for a Viking party. It’s probably best to find a friend whose backyard contains a fire pit, as that will cut down on a lot of the construction work. Just light that fire up, following this handy guide to starting bonfires, and bask in the timeless, elemental glory of fire – or, as you should call it, Viking television!
While it’s been debunked that Vikings ever wore those horned helmets that you see in just about any old Norse depiction, that doesn’t mean that you can’t wear one. Sure, it’s not 100% accurate, but unless you invite a medieval Scandinavia scholar to your party (everybody knows one, right?) you should be in the clear. If you simply won’t abide by a historical inaccuracy, however, you still have headwear options, as you can readily find more realistic metal Viking helmets these days, with the patterned nose guard and sides.
Believe it or not, Vikings loved board games, even going so far as to be buried with their favourite games (presumably to pass the time in boring old Valhalla). That said, it would be completely in-character for a Viking themed party to break out the board games. While you could try and play one of the Old Norse board games, the most famous of which is called hnefatafl (which just sounds like someone stifling a sneeze), you’re probably better off sticking to the games that you know. You could even play Risk, and duke it out with other party-goers for world domination… or who has to drink another shot of mead.