Summer of Midnight Sun: Chapter Fourteen - Jolahefðir (Christmas Traditions)

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Even though I wasn't in Iceland for the holidays, I spent last Christmas with some Icelandic coworkers in DC, giving me some background on their traditions and customs. Whether it was the Yule Lads, the cuisine, or the people, Icelandic Christmas offered me a warm home away from home. I've also learned to love some of the quirky traditions.

Icelanders typically begin the Christmas season two weeks before the day, and end two weeks after, on a seemingly endless list of parties with family and friends to attend. St. Thorlak's Mass is held on December 23rd, signaling the last chance for any preparations, with the Christmas feast of Aðfangadagur being held on the 24th. Christmas day is much like in the States, with no truly right or wrong way to celebrate Christmas. The difference is, that it seems to keep going on the 26th, with more family and friends involved than the day before. 

My favorite traditions associated with Christmas from the island are the stories about the Jólasveinar and Jólakötturinn. The Jólasveinar are exclusively Icelandic, acting similarly to the 12 days of Christmas. In a cruel twist however, they are actually trolls with some unpleasant names and habits like Skyrgámur (Skyr-gobbler), Bjúgnakrækir (Sausage-stealer), and Þvörusleikir (Spoonlicker). The Jólakötturinn is another cruel story, told about a mysterious black cat that lurks in the seemingly never-ending night to eat children who didn't get warm clothes for Christmas. Surely a wives' tale to scare kids, I really enjoyed this one, as my mom used to joke similarly when I was a kid.

Maybe it's just the prefix Jola before all words, but everything seems more joyous in an Icelandic Christmas. The food and gifts are centered around family, which is centered around survival. What tradition would you bring into your Christmas?


Comments

  1. Roman CascianiNovember 30, 2023 at 8:55 AM

    Gabe, this is very interesting. Iceland certainly has some unique stories! One tradition my family shares on Christmas is using Christmas crackers at dinner. These are a British (my mom's side of the family) tradition from Victorian times. They are colorful tubes made from cardboard twisted at both ends with a prize inside. They have a strip on each end that each person holds onto. Inside the cardboard is a "banger", which is like a powder that explodes and makes a loud bang when two people pull on either side. They keep their fingers on the strip to release the bang and the tiny prize flies out. It is a lot of fun.

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