Holiday Season in Iceland
3 Hours of Daylight
Currently, in the northern hemisphere, winter reigns. In Kolla’s hometown Akureyri, inhabitants haven’t seen the sun since late November, and it won’t make it back down into the fjord until January. Daylight there is currently about 3 hours. It is the time of the Arctic night, ruling in cold and ruthless beauty. With this kind of climate, it comes as no surprise that Icelanders go to great lengths to brighten up the long nights and warm the cold days. Decorating for Christmas is nearly a competitive sport on the island; lights in every window and strung up outside wherever the wind isn’t likely to blow them away.
Holiday festivities are plentiful, a mix of modern ones like attending a Jólahlaðborð (smorgasbord with holiday treats), ‘Little Yule’ parties for kids and, of course glögg (mulled wine) for the adults.
Icelandic Yule Lads
On the eve of December 12, before going to bed, Icelandic children place a shoe on the windowsill of their bedroom, having tried to be on their best behavior that day. The reason? That night the first of our 13 Yule Lads comes to town. Every night until Christmas (celebrated on the 24th), a new Yule Lad will visit the window and place a small gift or treat in the shoes for good children - or a rotten potato for the naughty ones. There is also the bit about the lads’ mum Grýla (a big ‘ole kid eating troll), her man Leppalúði (a bit of a useless do-nothing husband) - and then the Yule Cat - a terrible beast. Read up on the entire family here and make sure the 🐈⬛ doesn’t get you!)
Read about Icelandic Yule Lads
New Years Eve in Iceland
New Year’s Eve is a huge party in Iceland. Dressed to the nines, your evening kicks off with a fancy dinner and then a visit to the local bonfire for a bit. When the clock strikes 12, the party starts in earnest. The experience can’t be put in words - you have to live it - or check out the video below to get an idea. Icelanders shoot off over 500 tons of fireworks every year, most of it in that half an hour around midnight.
There is a lot to love about the holidays in Iceland - but frankly, it is a terrible time for skydiving. We will let the locals handle the darkest time of the year and check back in with Iceland once the sun starts climbing a little higher in the sky.
Gleðileg jól & farsælt komandi ár from the Icehopp team*
*: Merry Christmas & Happy New Year from the Icehopp Team