What are the Christmas holidays like in Iceland? They last 26 days in the land of snow and ice!

There is a high probability of a white Christmas in Iceland, but that is not the only reason to go here in December.

Do you know that thirteen “Jesus Christs” bring gifts to children?

How decadent is Christmas Eve dinner?

What gifts do Icelanders most often find under the tree?

Find out how Christmas is celebrated in Iceland.

When is Christmas celebrated in Iceland?

Christmas in Iceland starts as early as December 11. Thirteen Icelandic trolls, or Jólasveinar, live in Iceland. The Christmas season begins when the first of them arrives in town thirteen days before Christmas Day and ends when the last leaves on January 6.

But when Icelanders talk about Christmas, they usually mean December 24th. This date is a tribute to Thorlakur Thorhallsson, who was named the patron saint of Iceland in 1984. The name of this day in Icelandic is Adfangadagur.

Christmas is called jól in Icelandic. Celebrations in Iceland begin at 6:00 p.m. on Christmas Day. This may be based on an old Icelandic tradition where the new day started at six o’clock in the evening, not midnight.

Do you know Icelandic Christmas traditions?

Most Icelanders celebrate Christmas Eve with an impressive home-cooked multi-course dinner with family. After dinner, they unwrap presents. Afterward, some people go to midnight mass to meet their neighbors and friends. Others go into town with friends to bars open late into the night.

Candles and playing cards are common traditional Icelandic Christmas gifts. You are almost sure to get at least one book as well. Icelanders are obsessed with books, especially during the Christmas holidays. Popular outdoor Christmas activities include ice skating and bathing in natural geothermal spas.

Another Christmas tradition in Iceland is cutting patterns into thin bread called laufabrauð. The patterns resemble the leaves from which the bread gets its name. The dough of this bread is very thin and circular, similar to a pancake. After cutting the bread into a beautiful pattern, it is fried and served with butter.

Who brings the children’s presents?

There are thirteen Christmas elves or trolls in Iceland, known as Jólasveinar. Where did the jólasveinar tradition come from? Trolls live in the Highlands with their parents, Gryla and Leppaludi. They have a big black cat called Jólakotturinn, the Christmas cat.

Mother Gryl is a huge evil troll. He eats naughty children who cook in a large pot. Father Leppaludi is a skinny troll who doesn’t take much for eating children. He’s more of a bully and does whatever Gryla tells him, so he often “picks up” naughty children for her. According to tradition, the cat eats those who did not get any new clothes before Christmas.

Gryla and Leppaludi have thirteen sons named after their bad qualities. Stekkjastaur comes to town thirteen days before Christmas Day on the night of December 11-12. He has a wooden leg and likes to scare the farmer’s sheep. It is followed by Giljagaur, Stúfur, Þvörusleikir, Pottasleikir, Askasleikir, Hurðaskellir, Skyrgámur, Bjúgnakrækir, Gluggagægir, GáttaÞefur, Ketkrókur and finally Kertasníkir.

After December 24th, the trolls return to their home, and when they leave, they leave gifts in their shoes, which the children place in the windows. If you were naughty, you get a rotten potato. Christmas in Iceland ends when the last of them leaves for the Highlands. This day is called Þrettándinn and falls on January 6.

What is eaten in Iceland at Christmas?

There are quite a large number of traditional dishes in Iceland. Some are eaten on Christmas Day, some on Christmas Eve. Seafood soup or lobster is often served as an appetizer. A typical soft drink is Christmas beer Jolaol. It is a mixture of malt and a sparkling orange drink called appelsin.

The most common main course is hangikjot – “hanging meat.” It is smoked lamb meat with a strong salty taste. It can be served warm or cold and is often served with laufabrauð, a white potato sauce called uppstufur, peas, and red cabbage.

Hamborgarhryggur is another typical dish. It is a pork roast with a sweet Coca-Cola sauce that contrasts nicely with the meat’s saltiness. Icelanders serve hamborgarrhyggur with caramelized potatoes, pickled red onions, and vegetables. Game meat, such as reindeer, is also popular.

Sweets are also an important Christmas food in Iceland. One of the most famous Christmas desserts is Sörur or Sára. This delicacy is named after Sarah Bernhardt, a well-known French actress. It is an almond macaroon filled with cream, dipped in chocolate, and served slightly frozen. A famous Christmas cookie is gingerbread, or piparkökur.

How to bake your Icelandic puff bread?

Laufabrauð, or Icelandic puff bread, is essential for Christmas in Iceland. It is made from a very simple dough, which is peculiarly thin. It is said that the dough must be so thin that a newspaper can be read through it.

A tool called laufabrauðsjárn is used for decorating; try to use a sharp knife. The bread should be approximately 6-7 inches in diameter and very thin; the only important thing is to fry it for a few seconds until golden; that’s the only way it will be adequately crispy.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup of whole milk
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons of water
• 1 tablespoon of butter
• 1/2 teaspoon of sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• frying oil

Method:

1. Sift the flour into a medium bowl and set aside.
2. Add sugar, salt and baking powder.
3. Mix it up.
4. Pour the milk into the saucepan together with the water and butter.
5. Heat until the butter melts but does not boil.
6. Remove from heat and add to dry ingredients.
7. Mix and work into a dough with your hands.
8. The dough should be smooth and homogeneous.
9. Cover the finished dough with cling film and let it rest for 10 minutes.
10. Divide the dough into 15 more or less equal parts using a sharp knife.
11. Only work with one piece at a time; cover the rest with foil to prevent it from drying out.
12. Take one of the portions and spread it slightly with your fingertips.
13. Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough to a very thin, almost transparent thickness.
14. Place the prepared “pancake” on baking paper and cover it with another piece.
15. Repeat the process with the whole dough.
16. Decorate the “pancakes” by making cuts on the surface with a sharp knife.
17. Once you have decorated one piece, place it again between two pieces of baking paper.
18. Heat the oil in a pan.
19. Fry the individual pieces briefly on both sides, similar to when you make pancakes.
20. Then, set aside to drain the excess oil on a paper towel.

You can add a small amount of cumin or anise to the dough if you want.

What places should you visit in Iceland at Christmas?

Iceland is a country worth visiting all year round, depending on your interests. But Christmas in Iceland is unforgettable in many ways.

• Reykjavík – imagine snowy streets lit with Christmas lights, mulled wine in hand, and strolling through Iceland’s majestic capital. Reykjavík offers Christmas markets, ice skating, and plenty of entertainment opportunities.

• Snæfellsnes Peninsula—Are you attracted by Iceland’s fairytale nature? Visit the Snæfellsnes peninsula. Rock formations, volcanoes, glaciers, lava fields, and waterfalls await you here. Another bonus of this magical place is its proximity to the capital, which is only about a 2-hour drive north, making it easily accessible even in winter.

• Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon – Snow and ice are an integral part of the Christmas atmosphere, and Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon is one of the most photographed places in Iceland. Find out why.