Looking forward to a few extra drinks in honor of Columbus Day? Well, good news: There’s no need to wait until Monday to celebrate European imperialism in the New World. Friday is Leif Erikson Day, named in honor of the Scandinavian explorer who first brought Europeans to these shores some 500 years before Columbus sailed the ocean blue.

The day has been recognized under federal law since 1964, though bankers and mail carriers for 45 years have grudgingly continued to show up for work on Oct. 9. President Barack Obama, perhaps thinking of his favorite Golden Girl, even signed a presidential proclamation on Wednesday, noting that “Nordic Americans have contributed immeasurably to the success of America.”

Celebrating Leif Erikson Day in a culturally sensitive way can be difficult — not because Native American organizations might object, but simply because Scandinavian alcoholic beverages are relatively unknown in the U.S. A Google search for “Scandinavian wine” was fruitless (so to speak), so if you have any good suggestions, please note them below. In the meantime, we did turn up a recipe for spiced Scandinavian mulled cider that sounded promising.

Rather than wine, Scandinavia seems to be best known for aquavit, a potato-based liquor flavored with caraway. In Chicago, home to a large Scandinavian-American population, the North Shore Distillery makes a Private Reserve aquavit that sounds worth a special trip. From the tasting notes:

“Yellow straw color with a chartreuse cast. Vibrant and stimulating aromas of pink peppercorns, cardamom, lemongrass, medicinal roots and herbs, and sandalwood follow through on a silky entry to a dryish medium-to-full body with a touch of tilled earth a long, spicy fade. Excellent flavor, purity and depth.”

Aquavit, like tequila, varies greatly in quality. If you can’t find one worth savoring straight from a shot glass, you can still toast the Vikings with an aquavit cocktail. We found lots of recipes, including the Cloudberry Dream and the braver-sounding Harm’s Way.

After a couple of these drinks, we might be ready to call a cab and join our friends from the Norwegian National League in their annual laying of a wreath at the Leif Erikson statue in Chicago’s Humboldt Park. Cheers … and oofdah!