Atlantica - 01.11.2001, Page 48

46 A T L A N T I C A
It’s Christmas Eve in Reykjavík. It’s six
o’clock, the church bells are chiming
and a solemn silence hovers over the
city. The smell of ptarmigan roasting in
the oven blends with that of orange
rind and pine, and people dressed in
their finest listen to the church service
on the radio. What makes Christmas in
Iceland so special is that you know
everyone is doing the same thing.
Christmas, or jól as it is known in
Iceland, has been celebrated since the
ninth century. Jól, originally a pagan
festival celebrating the winter solstice,
later conveniently turned into
Christmas. In the darkness of an
Icelandic winter, Christmas is known as
the festival of light. From the candle-
light of earlier centuries, to the elabo-
rate electrical decorations that twinkle
in every garden, Christmas is a wel-
come, festive break from the harsh
December winter.
CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN
Whether it’s extreme generosity or
material madness, Icelanders go shop-
ping-mad at Christmas. The shopping
malls and the main streets of the city
centre are buzzing with people buying
their last-minute gifts. In the weeks
leading up to the festivities, the shops
stay open late, culminating on
December 23rd, the mass of St.
Thorlákur, when you can shop until
midnight. On this day people used to
fast, but now it’s a day dedicated to
skate. From midday onwards, you will
catch a lingering whiff of something
indescribably repulsive, which is actu-
ally putrefied skate being cooked at all
the finest restaurants. The taste is
debatable – some find its ammonia-
tinged flavour a real culinary treat,
when others tuck in for the sake of tra-
dition. Schoolmates, work friends and
families will meet for lunch on the
Mass of St. Thorlákur to enjoy skate
accompanied with a shot of schnapps.
In the evening, whether you’ve done all
your shopping or not, the whole popu-
lation of Reykjavík heads downtown to
the city centre to join the warmly-clad
crowd bustling in the streets. The cafés
and bars are full of people enjoying
glögg (warm mulled wine) and ginger
biscuits.
On December 24th, people only work
until midday. The afternoon is dedicat-
ed to wrapping Christmas presents,
preparing the dinner and the grown-
ups decorating the Christmas tree.
Children have to wait in anticipation,
possibly watching the Christmas spe-
cials on television or taking an after-
noon nap to prepare for the big night.
Some people go to the six o’clock
mass, while others wait for the bells on
the national radio to ring in Christmas.
i-site CHRISTMAS❍
PHOTO BRIAN SWEENEY
Home for the Holidays
There’s something that extra bit special about an Icelandic Christmas. From the manic shopping sprees
to the serenity of Christmas Eve, from crisp December snow to candlelit windows, Icelanders are a
nation seriously committed to Christmas. We also have our own quirky Christmas folklore including 13
thieving Santas and an evil Christmas cat. Anna Margrét Björnsson gets into the holiday spirit.
PHOTO PÁLL STEFÁNSSON
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