Category Archives: Christmas in Iceland

Santa Claus is said to live at the North Pole, but in fact he has a cute little apartment with a hot tub close to downtown Reykjavik.

Putrid Fish for Beginners

Step One: Hold your nose.
In a country of bizarre traditions, one of the craziest has to be the putrid skate party. Every year on Þorláksmessa (St. Thorlák’s Mass), 23 December, Icelanders get together and eat skate (the fish, not the sporting equipment) that has been sitting in a closed container and allowed to ferment for about […]

24 December 2007 – 6:43 | By Alda | Also posted in iceland, food, Western Iceland | Comments (2)

Something for December: The Insane Holiday Traditions Edition

A roundup of things to do in Iceland this December, as prepared by your door-slamming editors.
It sounds cliché, but Christmas in Iceland is really a magical time. Maybe it’s the reindeer and snow, or Icelander’s willingness to throw themselves head-first into any and all celebrations. Whatever the reason, there is little doubt that a Holiday Season spent here […]

30 November 2007 – 15:52 | By Erik | Also posted in iceland, events, food, hafnarfjörður, new year's eve, fireworks | Comments (2)

Bad Santas

In which we celebrate the original Icelandic version of that jolly old Coke-drinking elf.
If countries get the Santa Claus they deserve, you might be forgiven for wondering what we in Iceland did to deserve ours.
While other countries have a jolly old Coke-sponsored fat guy with a penchant for gift giving and flying reindeers, we Icelanders […]

21 December 2006 – 18:17 | By valgeir | Also posted in iceland, skyr | Comments (2)

Something for the Weekend: The Usual Suspects Edition

A round-up of things to do in Reykjavík this weekend, as prepared by your unusually suspicious editors.

Poetry might be dead, but somebody didn’t get the memo. The cool cats of Nýhil will be reading, like, poetry, between acts at Grand rokk tonight. The usual suspects are playing: Mr. Silla & Mongoose, Pétur Ben, Reykjavik! and […]

14 December 2006 – 18:19 | By valgeir | Also posted in iceland, concerts, Skakkamanage, mr silla, 12 tónar, Nýhil, National Art Museum | Comments (0)

Something for the Weekend: The Almost Christmas Edition

A round-up of things to do in Reykjavík this weekend, as prepared by your anxiously-awaiting-the-holiday editors.

If you’re a proper Iceland nerd, you should be familiar with Valgeir Guðjónsson. This time, he’s playing in a church. Concert starts at 8 tonight in Seltjarnarneskirkja. Let’s hope he plays the “Peeing Outside Song”.
More eccentric Icelandic music at Tjarnabíó […]

7 December 2006 – 20:56 | By Annie | Also posted in iceland, Bars in Iceland, 101, music, icelandic music, DJs, Icelandic bands, sirkus, ingólfstorg | Comments (0)

Something for the Weekend: The Local vs. Global Edition

A roundup of things to do in Reykjavík this weekend, prepared by your cosmopolitan editors.

Tonight, synchronize your watches as the Iceland Symphony Orchestra, complete with two male-choirs and one heroic bass, plays enough Wagner to make you want to invade Poland.
Balance the hormones Friday night at Café Cultura, where voluptious Icelandic women engage in Arabic […]