Holiday Event Calendar
Special events during Advent, Christmas and New Year 2011
Lighting of the Christmas Tree
Celebrate the beginning of Advent and take part in a time-honoured Reykjavík tradition with the lighting of the Christmas tree at Austurvöllur square in Reykjavik city centre. The tree is an annual gift from the City of Oslo and the sight of it decorated in white light has become an iconic Reykjavík Christmas image.
The lighting ceremony is traditionally attended by the Mayor of Reykjavík. A programme of festive events follows, with for example a brass band, choir singing, poetry and the arrival of the Christmas Lads - a favourite amongst children. The Christmas tree ceremony takes place at 16:00, Sunday 27 November 2011. After the initial lighting ceremony, the Austurvöllur Christmas tree lights will be turned on from dusk onwards throughout the festive season.
Laugardalur Christmas Valley
During December the whole family can have fun together in Laugardalur Valley. Visit the animals in the Reykjavik Family Park and Zoo, ice-skate around a decorated Christmas tree or talk a nice walk around the Botanic Garden. In Laugardalur you may expect to run into the Christmas cat – one of many Icelandic Christmas creatures. The cat resides in Reykjavík Family Park and Zoo but sometimes sneaks around in the Botanic Garden and into the Skating Hall. Listen out for a quiet meow and look out for paw tracks!
• Reykjavik Botanic Garden
The Botanic garden is a peaceful place with a beautiful arboretum, ponds and birdlife. Christmas is all around at Café Flora, where you can stop by for hot chocolate, mulled wine, roasted almonds, open sandwiches and delicious cakes. Check out the Christmas gift shop, help decorate a tree for a good cause and enjoy live music, book readings and more. The Botanic Garden is open daily, free admission. Café Flora is open at weekends in December 13:00-18:00. The display greenhouse is closed 24, 25, 26 and 31 December and 1 January.
• Reykjavik Skating Hall
At the Skating Hall in Laugardalur you can ice-skate around a beautifully decorated Christmas tree to the sound of lively Christmas songs. Figure skating Christmas Cats put on regular shows on the ice. Skaters of all ages can rent skates and helmets for a moderate price. The Skating Hall is open every day. From 21 December the Hall will be open from 13:00-18:00 daily (closed on 24 and 25 December and 1 January).
• Reykjavík Family Park and Zoo
The animals at the Reykjavík Family Park and Zoo will be in a special Christmas mood during December. The one and only Icelandic Yule Cat will rest during the day in Hafrafell-house but at night it travels around leaving traces all around the animals. Visitors will see these traces and hear stories from the night guard and visit the Yule Cat, who, of course, will be sleeping during most opening hours. A horse carriage will take visitors for a ride lead by one of the park’s horses on weekends. Christmas sheep will be sheared Sunday 4 December and the weekend 10-11 December cat owners together with the Icelanding Cat Breeding Association will bring cats to the park. Cats of many species will be shown and one of them will be selected the Icelandic Yule Cat 2011. Hot Christmas chocolate and Yule Lad cookies will be available in the coffeehouse. The Reykjavík Family Park and Zoo is open 10:00-17:00 (closed 24, 25 and 31 December and 1 January). Feeding times and general information on the Reykjavík Family Park and Zoo website.
Christmas at the Reykjavík City Museum
Experience Christmas like it was in the old days at the popular Christmas Exhibition of the Reykjavik City Museum - Árbæjarsafn. Stroll from house to house and witness the Christmas preparations of olden days, but watch out, the mischevious Yule lads are out and about! Traditional laufabrauð (leaf bread) is cut into decorative patterns before being fried, wool is spun and knitted, tallow is used to make candles, including three-branched “kings' candles”. Hangikjöt (smoked lamb) is boiling and pungent skate is bubbling in the pan. Get into the Christmas spirit with a cup of hot chocolate in Dillon's House café (built in 1835), listen to Yuletide songs and dance around the Christmas tree, or attend mass in the old turf church. Open Sundays 4, 11 and 18 December, 13:00-17:00. More information on the Reykjavik City Museum - Árbæjarsafn website.
Christmas Village in Hafnarfjörður
Nestling in the heart of Hafnarfjörður town, the Christmas Village offers a special opportunity to enjoy the festive season. Hafnarfjörður, just a short distance from the capital (15 minutes by bus nr 1 from city centre), is a picturesque town set in the lava landscape, with its own relaxed atmosphere. Every weekend in December until Christmas, the Christmas Village in Hafnarfjörður will be open, offering a wide selection of gifts, Christmas decorations and delicious foodstuffs. Live musical performances are on the program, as well as the opportunity to meet Iceland’s very own Christmas lads. The Christmas village opens on Saturday 26 November and will stay open Saturdays and Sundays during Advent from 13:00-18:00 and 23 December from 18:00-22:00. Live entertainment every day. The village is located at Strandgata 6, 220 Hafnarfjörður. More information about Hafnarfjörður at: www.visithafnarfjordur.is. E-mail: jolathorp@hafnarfjordur.is.
Christmas Market in Reykjavík City Centre
The Christmas market on Ingólfstorg square in the heart of Reykjavík city centre features authentic and unique giftware from some of Iceland's finest desginers and handicraft masters. Iceland's Christmas creatures, singers and instrumentalists will be frequently visible as well as poets, writers, comedians and a variety of artists. Furthermore, great restaurnats, cafés, bars, museums, galleries and music venues are in the immediate vicinity. The Christmas market will be open 10-11 December 14:00-18:00, and from 15 December 14:00-20:00. Shops in Reykjavik city centre will stay open 10:00-22:00 every day from 15 December.
Christmas Market at Elliðavatn Lake, Heiðmörk Nature Reserve
The Christmas Market by Elliðavatn lake opens 27 November and stays open every weekend until Christmas 11:00-17:00. Icelandic handicrafts are for sale in booths and sheds and visitors can cut down their own Christmas tree in the Christmas woods. A bonfire is lit every market day and musical acts play throughout the market's opening hours. Waffles and hot chocolate on offer. More information on the Heiðmörk website (Icelandic only).
The National Museum Christmas Programme
The National Museum's Christmas exhibition opens 11 December and includes a Christmas house and objects concerning the 13 Yule lads of Icelandic folklore. Children can handle the objects, which will help them understand and learn the names of the Yule lads. The Yule lads then arrive in person one by one, every day from 12 -24 December at 11:00, and sing Icelandic Christmas songs with children of all ages. Free entry to meet the Yule lads and to the Christmas exhibition. There will also be a lecture in English on Icelandic Christmas traditions and the Yule lads on 17 December at 13:00. More information on the National Museum website.
Nordic House Christmas Calendar
A live Christmas calendar featuring many well known Icelandic musicians, comedians and other artists. One "window" in the Nordic House's calendar is opened every day in December at 12:34, leading up to Christmas. Behind each window a surprise awaits in the form of a live performance by an artist at the Nordic House. More information on the Nordic House website.
Let's Talk Christmas
The Let's Talk Christmas show tells you everything you need to know about Icelandic holiday traditions. Guests meet the troll of all trolls, Grýla, who tells them in her own way about Icelandic holiday traditions and how they have changed. Grýla serves some traditional holiday refreshments too. Guests learn and laugh alot at the same time and Grýla is more than happy to answer all their questions. The show lasts for approx. 1 hour. More information on the Let's Talk website.
Þrettándinn, Twelfth Night - 6 January
The last day of Yule, celebrated with bonfires and sometimes elfin dances. Many of the magical events associated with New Year's Eve are also supposed to occur on our twelfth night. This is also traditionally when Icelanders set off whatever fireworks they didn’t get round to on New Year’s Eve.
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