Christmas is without doubt one of the most beloved and broadly celebrated holidays worldwide. It’s a particular time that brings pleasure and sparkle to our lives with feasting and particular rituals, colourful decorations, and the exchanging of presents. Traditions have developed round this vacation celebrating the delivery of Jesus and they’ve modified as they’ve crossed borders into different international locations and over time.
Dive into Christmas Traditions in Iceland beneath. Obtain Sonlight’s Christmas Across the World book to discover Christmas traditions from 19 totally different international locations world wide, together with 6 of the 7 continents!
Discover Christmas Traditions within the Iceland whereas listening to this episode of the InquisiKids podcast.
COMING SOON! Launch date: December 21
Christmas Traditions in Iceland
The Xmas Lads (Jólasveinar) are 13 mischievous characters considered the sons of two legendary trolls. Every determine has his personal distinct persona and habits. Starting on December twelfth, kids place a shoe within the window and every night time a distinct Xmas Lad arrives to depart small presents or play pranks.
Picture credit score: arcticportal.org
As a result of it’s so darkish at the moment of 12 months, gentle performs a giant half within the Christmas season. Creation candles are lit, Christmas timber, properties, and streets are adorned with lights. Neighborhoods and cities beautify their streets, buildings, and timber with colourful lights, particularly the capital metropolis, Reykjavik. This follow known as Jólaljós (Christmas Lights). On December twenty third, Icelanders gentle bonfires (Jólasbrenna) throughout the nation, to represent the victory of sunshine over the darkness—a convention that dates again to historical occasions.
One other pleasant custom is Jólabókaflóð (Christmas E book Flood) the place individuals trade books as presents on Christmas Eve and spend the night studying in a comfortable ambiance full with scorching chocolate and candlelight. Due to this custom, many authors launch their newest works at the moment of 12 months and plenty of books are revealed within the weeks that lead as much as Christmas. To be taught extra about this custom tune into the InquisiKids podcast above. The Christmas season is a time for studying, storytelling, and sharing tales of folklore and myths, each historical and fashionable.
Christmas Eve (Jóladagur) is the first day of celebration in Iceland. Households collect for a festive meal that always contains conventional dishes akin to hangikjöt (smoked lamb), fermented shark (hákarl), and quite a lot of candy treats. After dinner, many individuals attend Midnight Mass or take part in church companies.
Christmas Crafts in Iceland
As you possibly can think about from the identify of the nation itself, Iceland receives fairly a little bit of snow and ice from late October to late January. To symbolize all these snowflakes, strive making your personal out of salt, Epsom salt, or borax.
Crystal Snowflake
Add some home made attraction to your Christmas tree with this DIY Crystal snowflake craft! You need to use meals coloring to dye the water and make totally different coloured snowflakes, or simply use totally different coloured pipe cleaners. Click on right here for directions. For an older youngster you would possibly need to strive this one. Cannot get sufficient snowflake crafts? Strive this one with marshmallows and toothpicks!
Christmas Recipes in Iceland
Christmas Eve dinner in Iceland is a cherished and elaborate affair that historically contains a foremost course of Hangikjöt (smoked lamb), usually served with a béchamel sauce. One other vacation favourite is Hamborgarhryggur, a spiced ham. These meat dishes are accompanied by quite a lot of aspect dishes like pickled pink cabbage, peas, and potatoes.
Households additionally collect across the festive desk to take pleasure in laufabrauð, or “leaf bread,” which is a skinny, crispy flatbread, deep-fried and sometimes adorned with intricate patterns. Christmas Eve dinner is a festivity that emphasizes the spirit of togetherness and the enjoyment of sharing in Icelandic properties.
Obtain a Christmas Playlist
Christmas music in Iceland is a cherished a part of the vacation season, mixing conventional and up to date components. The nation’s wealthy musical heritage involves life through the Yuletide celebrations, with basic carols like Dásamleg jól (Fantastic Christmas), Heyr Himna smiður (Hear My Supplication), and Jólin eru að koma (Christmas Is Coming), Ég hlakka svo til (I am So Excited)filling the air with festive cheer. Try Sonlight’s Christmas Across the World Spotify playlist right here to obtain Christmas music from Iceland world wide.
What’s your favourite custom to have fun with your loved ones round Christmastime?
From conventional festivities to distinctive customs, we hope these Icelandic traditions add a wealthy range to your loved ones celebrations throughout this joyous vacation. Obtain the whole Christmas Across the World book to infuse your vacation traditions with Christmas customs, recipes, and crafts from 19 international locations world wide.
We might love to listen to extra concerning the traditions you have fun in your personal residence! Share your tales in your favourite social media outlet utilizing #sonlightstories or remark beneath. Have a convention you’d prefer to see added to this put up? Tell us, by emailing us at foremost@sonlight.com.
