Archive for 'Icelandic customs'
Celebrating bolla-pastries. Posted by hulda on Feb 4, 2016
BOLLA BOLLA BOLLA BOLLA! This is what many parents of small children will shortly hear screamed happily at them while they get beaten up with colourful, decorative wands. Bolludagur, the Day of Bolla (bolla = Icelandic version of choux pastries) is almost here. This year it will be celebrated on the 8th February and the…
Icelandic midwinter feast, Þorrablót. Posted by hulda on Jan 28, 2016
In the deepest winter Icelanders celebrate Þorri, the personification of winter: that’s when traditional foods are served along with strong liquor, preferably Brennivín.The celebration bears the name Þorrablót, a clear reminder of its Pagan roots – a blót is a ritual sacrifice or a feast held to honour a god or gods. The tradition died…
How to spend New Year in Iceland Posted by hulda on Dec 31, 2015
New Year is almost here! Stuck in Reykjavík and lacking ideas what to do? Worry no more, this post will be one big Hulda Recommends -post about things that are going on today. New Year’s Eve, called Gamlaárskvöld (= old year’s evening) in Icelandic, is serious business. Stores will be open even on the 31st…
8 Icelandic Christmas facts. Posted by hulda on Dec 24, 2015
Greetings from snowy Reykjavík! It’s almost time for Christmas here, so let’s have a look at some really Icelandic Christmas -related traditions. Work hard It’s not unusual at all that an Icelander would work on the 24th. Over here a Christmas break from work is almost unheard-of, unlike my previous home country Finland that enjoys…
Top ten Icelandic posts! Posted by hulda on Dec 17, 2015
The year is drawing to an end and Christmas is nearing, so now is the best time to look back a bit and see which posts of this blog have proved most popular! 1) Staving off a Disaster – Magical Tattoos Remember when it was really popular to have tattoos done in kanji with very…
The great Reykjavík snowcalypse. Posted by hulda on Dec 3, 2015
Snow isn’t a stranger to Reykjavík, much less Iceland in general, but sometimes there’s just way too much of it. I’ve been reminded of this ever since Tuesday when it all began with a massive, day-long snowstorm, and when Iceland has a snowstorm we’re not talking about 10cm with the whole country closed. No, we’re…
Iceland emoticons? Posted by hulda on Nov 12, 2015
In the recent news the foreign ministry of Finland is releasing Finland-specific emoticons as a Christmas calendar. These include scenes and things so Finnish that the current emoticon lists don’t have anything even remotely similar on them such as a Nokia phone and people having sauna. Naturally it struck me that it’s unfair to let…