In short

Christmas in Iceland (Jól) begins four weeks before Christmas proper, which begins on December 24 (Aðfangadagur) and ends thirteen days later on January 6 (Epiphany).

Aðfangadagur

Aðfangadagur, Icelandic Christmas

The first Sunday in December begins Advent. In every house you will find an Advent wreath which is a candle decoration with four candles. Every Sunday in December, a candle is lit. On Advent, children go to Christmas dances, sing Christmas songs and dance around the Christmas tree and meet some of the 13 Santas

On the 23rd, it is traditional to eat fermented skate. Its smell is really strong and many people can't even imagine putting it in their mouth. But still many people enjoy it and embrace this smelly tradition every year.

Le 24 décembre s’appelle Adfangadagur en islandais et est le principal jour de célébration de Noël en Islande. Noël commence à 18 heures sur Adfangadagur lorsque les cloches de l’église sonnent à Noël. Ce soir-là, les familles préparent leur dîner de Noël et après le repas, ils s’assoient tous ensemble près du sapin de Noël et ouvrent les cadeaux.

The day after Adfangadagur is Joladagur or Christmas Day and most people eat hangikjöt and laufabrauð. Hangikjot (hanging meat) is a smoked leg of lamb and laufabraud is a thin, fried bread eaten with butter.

On Christmas Day, many families have family reunions with their loved ones. The next day is called the second day of Christmas which is also a public holiday and it is also popular for large family gatherings.

The days of Christmas don't end there, they even continue into the New Year and aren't officially over until January 6, when the last Yule Lad returns home to the mountain. On this day, the last day of Christmas is called the Thirteenth. In every town, you'll find a nighttime bonfire where people gather, perhaps set off leftover New Year's Eve fireworks, and say goodbye to Christmas.

Social networks

celebrate Aðfangadagur. This Christmas Eve is quite close to the customs of Western Europe. The celebrations last until the Epiphany, and include local traditions as well as the Christian traditions of the 13 days of Christmas. #mythology #myth #legend #calendar #24December #Adfangadagur #iceland

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Aðfangadagur