Reykjavík Grapevine - 06.12.2019, Qupperneq 2

First 10: Forced To Bribe? 08: The Whishing Hill 06: One Man Down In Coalition 16: Skálmöld's Ragnarök19: Ásta's Perfect Day32: Inside Iceland's Annual Book Fair
Oh my, time
f l i e s w h e n
you’re having
fun! Christ-
mas is upon
us. Now is the
time where
Icelanders cook their traditional
glazed ham or pick pellets out of
the ptarmigan. Some of us try to
teach the kids something about
some hippie called Jesus. Others
teach them about the old heathen
traditions that Icelandic Christ-
mas was built upon. But we all
make sure to dress our kids up
so the Christmas Cat (‘Jólaköt-
turinn’) doesn’t come around
and eat them one by one. You
can never be too careful when it
comes to that monster.
The Yule Lads are about to
hit the town with their bags
full of presents. We have thir-
teen lads, so no need to panic.
But lock your doors, and draw
the curtains—you don’t want
to invite the Christmas version
of the Peeping Tom, Window
Peeper (‘Gluggagægir’) to take
a gander at your goods. And
nobody wants to meet Meat Hook
(‘Kjötkrókur’) in a dark hallway.
Yet, they visit our kids and leave
a small package in their shoes for
thirteen days straight. It’s cuter
than it sounds. Just go easy on
threatening the kids with Gr!la if
they don’t behave. It only breeds
anxiety. Plus Gr!la gives you the
creeps. And she makes a stew
made out of children. Yikes.
But Christmas is more or less
about being together. I don’t
think that anybody is forgetting
about this, but it can slip one’s
mind when checking his credit
online and panicking. There is
no shame in having a moder-
ate Christmas and focusing
on the family and the connec-
tion between people. Although,
it could be a tough sell for the
teenager in the house. Feel free
to threaten them with Gr!la.
Teenagers probably deserve it.
The Reykjavík Grapevine loves
Christmas, and we adore New
Year’s Eve when Icelanders spend
billions on shooting fireworks
in the air despite all the pollu-
tion that comes with it. Just don't
make pipe bombs.
So, from us at Reykjavík
Grapevine, Merry Christmas and
Happy (and safe) New Year. VG
Go Easy On The
Gr"la Myth & Don’t
Make Pıpe Bombs
34: A Guide to
Christmas Feasts
38: Horror-Scopes:
Don't Hatari While Drunk
Elín Elísabet is an illus-
trator and cartoonist
born and raised in
Borgarnes. At the
tender age of 15, Elín
moved to Reykjavík
and hasn’t looked
back, except for the
annual springtime
impulse to move
someplace quiet
and keep chickens.
Elín likes folk music,
stationery, seal vid-
eos, the country of
Ireland, and eggs.
Hannah Jane Cohen is
based out of Iceland
by way of New
York. An alumni of
Columbia University,
Hannah has lived
on five continents
and speaks three
languages fluently.
Her visionary work is
known for expand-
ing the definitions of
emotion, introspec-
tion, and above all
else, taste.
Alexander Jean
Edvard Le Sage
de Fontenay is a
Reykjavík-born part-
time DJ (under the
pseudonym Bervit),
event-planner and
lover of art, creation
and aesthetics. Most
recent endeavors in-
clude co-producing
The Grapevine’s own
Grassroots concerts
at Húrra and LungA
Art Festival’s busy
event schedule.
Inês Pereira gradu-
ated in Journalism
and immediately
traded the warm
coast of Portugal for
the icy landscapes of
South Iceland. From
a young age she
felt she would have
to write to express
herself, being that
she was interested in
everything and great
at nothing.
Samuel O'Donnell
Sam is an English
major from The
United States. He
has his Bachelor’s
Degree, and keeps
telling himself that
this is the year he
will begin pursu-
ing his Master’s. In
his spare time, he
enjoys playing video
games, writing short
horror stories, listen-
ing to all kinds of
metal, and reading.
Sveinbjörn Pálsson
is our Art Director.
He's responsible for
the design of the
magazine and the
cover photography.
When he's not work-
ing here, he DJs as
Terrordisco, hosts
the Funk"átturinn
radio show, or sits at
a table in a Laugarda-
lur café, drinking
copious amounts of
co#ee and thinking
about fonts.
Andie Fontaine has
lived in Iceland since
1999 and has been
reporting since 2003.
They were the first
foreign-born mem-
ber of the Icelandic
Parliament, in 2007-
08, an experience
they recommend for
anyone who wants
to experience a
workplace where
colleagues work tire-
lessly to undermine
each other.
a rawlings is Grape-
vine's literature
correspondent, also
covering environ-
mental news, travel,
and more. An inter-
disciplinary artist
whose work focuses
on environmental
ethics, dysfluency,
and watery bodies,
her books include
'Wide slumber for
lepidopterists' and
'Sound of Mull.'
Lóa Hlín Hjálmt"sdóttir
is a national treasure.
One of Iceland's
leading illustra-
tors, when she's
not drawing in her
unique style, she's
the front-woman of
Icelandic electro-
pop supergroup FM
Belfast. Her comic
strip Lóaboratorium
appears every issue
on page 8, and is also
available as a daily
dose on her Twitter.
COVER PHOTO:
Rut Sigur#ardóttir
ART DIRECTION:
Rut Sigur#ardóttir
Sveinbjörn Pálsson
ABOUT THE COVER:
After a lot of near misses
battling the countess'
busy schedule, we finally
got a hold of her at
Kling & Bang, where she
opened an exhibition last
weekend.
Ever the performer, she
helped us orchestrate
an almost impromptou
photo shoot, with brilliant
results.
EDITORIAL
For more information and bookings:
www.thelavatunnel.is
+354 519 1616 +354 760 1000
info@thelavatunnel.is
Breathtaking
Experience
is a
A journey into ARHÓLSHELLIRRAUF

The highlight of our Iceland trip!
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