Goodbye Christmas :(

Today is officially the last day of the Christmas season in Iceland. Tonight there will be fireworks and some people might meet for a special meal. I have heard different reasons for celebrating today. Some say it is to finish of the holiday season with a bang (literally! haha...I´m so clever) and others say it is to celebrate the last of those pesky yule lads finally leaving town. If you´ve been reading this blog then you know that starting on Christmas day the 13 "Santas" leave one day at a time in the order they arrived and today the last Santa is gone.

Other than that, I´m just trying to finish everything I have on my plate. I´m looking for a job and after that hopefully an apartment/car. I´m trying to finish my masters thesis, hopefully done around March. In June I´ll have finished a diploma in Icelandic as a 2nd language. I´ll be blogging about this and other things. Hopefully, eventually some travels!

GLEÐILEGT NÝTT ÁR! Happy New Year!

Hello Everyone! GLEÐILEGT NÝTT ÁR (HAPPY NEW YEAR)!

I hope everyone celebrated with lots of fun and partying last night! I know I did :) It was a great New Year celebration in Iceland. It might be one of my favorite celebrations throughout the year in Iceland, along with Gay Pride (it´s awesome) and bolladagur (you eat these yummy pastries). I´m not entirely sure why they celebrate it but I think it´s tasty!

Why is Iceland´s New Year celebration so great you might ask? Well, there is an AMAZING amount of fireworks. No description could truly capture the insanity. It´s not like 4th of July in the States. People start igniting fireworks here and there on the 30th and then starting at around 14:00 they increase exponentially until the skyline is filled with explosions. Every year I just stand there in awe of this amazing 360° display of color. That´s the best I can do to describe it but it´s really something you should see. I recommend it. In fact, it´s very popular for tourist to come for this holiday. I even heard some celebrities were in town.

My night didn´t start out the best. Our dog Stjarna is VERY SCARED of fireworks and she was outside when a bunch went off. When they exploded, she took off and ran away from the house! We searched for her for an hour and then had to stop and eat something. While eating, someone called (thank goodness for her dog tag) and said they were taking the trash out and when they opened the door, Stjarna ran into their house (2 streets away from us). Stjarna is such an awesome dog and loves everyone. The people, after spending 10 minutes with her, adored her and said she is so sweet. After that hiccup, the night was fun and full of REALLY good food, LOTS OF FIREWORKS, champagne and the traditional bonfire. In Iceland there are bonfires throughout the country (I think 8 locations in total). I´m talking about the size of a swimming pools (see picture above)! People gather, light sparklers and drink beers. It´s very fun and relaxed and I like it a lot. We went to a friends party around 1am and got home at a normal time for Iceland´s social scene (5 am). It´s taken me a while to get use to this time table!

I have attached a video taken in Iceland, not by me, that will only give you a taste of what it´s like to experience Iceland´s New Year celebrations. If you cannot see the video then go to this link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrOcY-FhHjU

Candle Beggar (Kertasníkir)

Merry Christmas! Gleðileg Jól!

Today is the last of the Santas :( But I´ve decided to continue to write on occassion about things going on with my masters project, Icelandic culture, and life. They will not be everyday but I hope you´ll continue to follow my blog.

Today´s santa is named Kertasníkir--Candle Beggar. He searches for candles to steal. I have conflicting sources on whether he likes to stare at their glowing light or eats them. I´m not sure what´s better. Either way it sounds like this santa might not be all there but he´s happy to be in town with his whole family of brothers. Starting tomorrow they will begin to make their way back to the mountains one-by-one and will finally be gone 13 days from now.

I forgot to tell you about what happened yesterday and will happen today and tomorrow. Yesterday was the day when everyone eats Skata or skate in English (pictured above). This is a fish that is apart of the ray family (sting rays, etc.) That doesn´t sound so gross or interesting but it is. Icelanders do not just eat the fish they like to place it under a rock and allow it to petrify and rot. If you do not wait the appropriate amount of time to let it rot then this fish can be toxic because it´s urine spreads throughout the flesh and undergoes a chemical change. Eating before the chemical change is not a good idea. Anyway, it tastes not as bad as people say as long as you have plenty of potato or bread to go with it. It is by no means to die for. I think the AWFUL smell that makes you instantly gag is the worst part.

Today, everyone stays in with their family and has a big meal and opens presents this evening. We are having duck. Well, speaking of this I should go get ready for tonight. MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!

Gluggagægir (Peeping Tom/ Window Peeper)

Sæll everyone!

Today´s santa is kind of creepy. The yule lad makes his way down the mountain and likes to sneak from window to window to peep inside. We have a PEEPING TOM on our hands! Most versions do not clarify what he is interested in observing but a few versions write that he is only looking for objects to steal. I suppose these versions were trying to clear an perverted names this yule lad might be getting. Is stealing any better though? Anyway, this lad is trouble but I have to say he brought me an awesome gift! It´s a musical coffee mug! When the cup is not setting on a solid surface...it plays Christmas music. I cannot wait to try it out at work when I stop coughing up my lungs. I should be very popular ;) This is the tenth santa which means only 3 more santas will come to town! It´s almost over but to be honest, I will be happy to see the window peeper leave!

I won´t be sharing any additional Icelandic traditions today. I do want to tell you about yesterday. I was able to try an exciting selection of Belgian beers and German Merlot as well as yummy german cheesecake, cookies, and Belgian chocolates made by my friends Nora (from Germany) and Béatrice (from Belgium). It was wonderful and delicious! They are both leaving this week and that makes me very sad. They worked on the 4th floor at Læknagarður in the stem cell research unit (just down the hall from my desk). It was super fun to have English-speakers on the hall and they are the sweetest people. Just wanted to give a shout out to them and their delicious baked goods! This week I also tried Chinese bamboo salad from a Chinese master student up stairs. All I need now is something made by my friend Antón from Spain who works upstairs too and I will be culturally enlightened by the foreigners of Læknagarður (hint hint Antón if you are reading)! In the words of my now gone friends: Au revoir (bye in French) and Aufwiedersehen (bye in German) :)

Bjúgnakrækir (Sausage Snatcher)

Goðan daginn! I am feeling a little better today despite a heavy cough. It´s been very cold in Iceland this month and I´m surprised that this is my first cold of the winter. We´ve had snow on the ground since I got back to Iceland in mid-late November. I LOVE IT! It´s felt and looked like Christmas time for a month now. There is slight possibility the weather could go above freezing for a change but hopefully not before Christmas!! :)

Today the sausage snatcher (Bjúgnakrækir--picture above) came to bring me a small box of mint chocolates. Mmmmmm! Unfortunately though, this is yet another thief among the brothers. He loves all types of sausages and will steal as many as he can. In the old days people hung their meat from the rafters but today it´s as simple as opening the refrigerator to get what he wants. He has another meat loving brother (still to come) but what sets this guy apart is his particular love of one and only sausage meat. Luckily, I´m not a big fan of sausage so there was none for him to steal (insert evil laugh).

I was able to try laufabrauð this past weekend and I can say that I think it´s good but not something I´d eat often. It´s deep fried bread and I avoid deep fried anything as much as I can. It leaves a film coating in my mouth which I don´t like. I have a feeling this would go over well in the States though. Americans love fried stuff....maybe too much!


I want to leave you with another Icelandic tradition for you to think about. As an American I am use to a ham or turkey at the center of my Christmas day meal. Not in Iceland! It is popular for many families to eat rjúpur--pictured above (a wild fowl). They are small, like game hens, and are apparently quite delicious. Of course this is not the standard. Some families will have a turkey or lamb at the center of their meal. Finnur´s mother, whom we will be eating Christmas meal with, is making duck. I´ve never eaten duck for a meal and I am very excited to try something new! I´ll let you know how it tastes ;)

Bless, Bless!!

Door-slammer and Curd glutton have been in the house!

Thanks everyone for letting me call in sick yesterday! I am dealing with a very bad cold and struggled today to find the energy to get everything done. I will share two Santas with you today. The one that came yesterday and today´s.

Yesterday, was a noisy little lad. His name is Hurðaskellir (Door-slammer). Now this is a troll that I would find scary. He is always slamming doors, often repeatedly, and waking people. Could you imagine being a little kid and in the middle of the night a trollish lad is slamming doors? That would freak me out. At least this one doesn´t steal anything. That´s a change from his brothers.

Then there is today´s Santa and his name is Skyrgámur (Curd Glutton). He loves a popular diary product called skyr which I didn´t know until today is milk curd apparently. Despite how that sounds, I can say skyr is DELICIOUS! If or when I move back to the States, that is one thing I will surely miss. I think it´s similar to greek yogurt though. Back to topic. This Santa will eat all the skyr out of your fridge and leave the tubs behind. Sounds rude to me. I don´t think their parents have taught them manners from what I see so far, but what do you really expect from trolls and boogeyman type santas. FYI this santa brought me a heart shaped old-time looking alarm clock. I guess he read my blog about oversleeping too much this time of the year!!

I hope you find this blog enjoyable. Only 5 more yule lads to visit. Hopefully tomorrow I will be feeling much better and can teach you even more about Christmas in Iceland.

Askasleikir (Bowl-licker)

Hello everyone! I hope you are having a great weekend so far. Let´s get down to business...

The Santa which came to town today is Askasleikir or Bowl Licker. He is the sixth Yule Lad to make his way down from the mountains. Back in the old Icelandic turf farmhouses the family sat on the edge of their beds to eat. Some Icelanders still have turf on the roofs as a way to keep the culture alive. Each family member had their own bowl which had a lid to keep the food warm. Askasleikir likes to creep into a farmhouse and lies waiting under the bed of the unsuspecting person who innocently puts his or her "askur" down on the floor between bites - then the lad swipes it and licks it spotlessly clean. Sneaky little guy. I remember thinking about the boogeyman being under my bed but to also worry he´ll lick up your dinner must have been annoying! Luckily it is known exactly when this guy will be around so your food is safe the rest of the year.

Last night Christmas party was great. The Cancer Research Laboratory, won the competition! Woo Hoo! Two year champions of nerdy humor. I like it. I was able to try a traditional Icelandic Christmas drink called jólaglogg (it´s similar name to eggnog but tastes NOTHING like eggnog in the States. It´s a hot beverage made of red wine, vodka and spices. Often served with raisins or nuts in it. I think it´s DELICIOUS! Here is the recipe, you can make it non-alcoholic too. I think for fun please try it! Remember to drink it hot! Let me know if you try it and what you think ;)

1 bottle red wine
6 cl. (1/4 cup) vodka or gin
5 cloves
2 crushed cardamoms
2 cinnamon sticks
1-1 1/2 deciliters (1/2 to 2/3 cup) sugar
Peel from half an orange, peeled almonds and raisins

Cut the peel from half an orange into thin strips and leave the white bit. Heat the wine and spirits with the spice and let it stay warm for a few minutes without boiling it. Add sugar and orange peel, stir and keep warm for a few more minutes. Serve hot with raisins and almonds. This recipe was taken from the National agency of alcohol and tobacco here in Iceland.

Be back tomorrow :)

Don´t leave dirty dishes in the sink or do...Pottasleikir (Pot-licker) is in town!

Sæll og blessaður (Hello and blessings to you)! This is a greeting I often here within family gatherings. I am told it would be strange to use this warm greeting on someone you are meeting for the first time or don´t really know well.

Today another licking fanatic santa is in town. His name is Pottasleikir or translation to Pot-licker. When he is in town he searches for uncleaned pots and licks any leftover food. If you think about it though, these yule lads may be doing us a favor. That is less scrubbing we have to do to get the food off. I have to mention that he decided to have a sense of humor and leave me a whoopi cushion to play with as my gift. I love it! haha. I think the best gifts are funny or sentimental (I´m not saying a whoopi cushion is that but you know what I mean) and not always expensive. Remember that as you are thinking about what to get for everyone.
I have looked ahead into the santas and they get funnier but tomorrows (yet another lad who likes to lick), todays and yesterdays lickers...well, I find their stories lack luster in scarying little children. I do see how future Santas can seem scary so I´m looking forward to that. I might run into the next Santa as he visits since I will be coming home in the early hours of Saturday. Tonight is a Christmas party at Læknagarður where I do my work. There will be hangikjöt (mentioned the other day), Christmas punch, beer, sweet desserts and a competition between laboratories--you can cheer for the lab I am in (Áfram Rannsóknastofa í Krabbameinsfræðum--Let´s GO Cancer Research Laboratory). I cannot share any information on the competition but just know our idea is smart ;) Thanks so much for all the followers since I´ve started! If the new template and background are affecting your viewing pleasure, please comment so I can make adjustments.

Þvörusleikir (Spoon-licker)

I´m cutting it close today, so this will be a quick one. It´s already 23:30 (11:30 pm) here in Iceland and I´m just now doing the Santa blog. I overslept by 2 hours today! Before you judge me, first I forgot to set the alarm (that´ll do it!) and second the moon is still shining bright even at 11:00 am and is back in just a few hours. The daylight to nighttime ratio can really mess with your sleeping habits. In the summer when it´s sunny all day I am fine with 6 hours sleep but get me to the winter time and I´m desperate for at least 9 hours. I don´t always get those 9 (THAT'S FOR SURE!) but I want them. Ok, now let me get on topic!

The 4th santa to come to town is Þvörusleikir (Spoon-licker). This little troll/santa makes a trip all the way down from the mountains to search for dirty wooden spoons with leftover bits from meals. That´s right! This santa comes to your house to lick your spoons folks...I am not making this up. Either Grýla is not feeding her sons very well or they just have some weird fetish. Be aware....the santas´get more weird and a lot of licking and breaking laws happens in these stories. So stay tuned ladies and gentlemen ;)

On another side note. Today my dog, Stjarna, is 3 years old :D She´s so cute and good. I love her! Sjaumst á morgun...if you are following you should know what that means :)

"Stúfur" / Shorty represents today!

Hallo (Hello) everyone.

Today´s Santa is named Stúfur or translated is "Stubby", "Shorty" or "Itty Bitty". I cannot decide which one sounds cuter. Being little is not his only trait. He´s also a... dun dun dun PAN-SCRAPER! Today is not a day to turn your back on the pan as you are cooking because this little guy will scrape the food off the pans. Technically I found no sources explain what he does with the food but I´m assuming and hoping he just eats it. My friend stubby decided I was good enough to deserve a picture holder and a compact mirror (hmmmm interesting that he knew I recently lost my compact mirror). I have yet to have a bad enough day to get a potato but I still have 10 more yule lads to be good for.

Since my sources have such little information on our Santa "Itty Bitty", I thought I would share some more Icelandic tradition with you. Icelanders love laufabrauð or "leaf-bread" at Christmas. This is deep-fried, thin flatbread that Icelanders cut intricate patterns into. I announced the other day to Finnur that I was going to make it this year and was promptly informed that traditionally making of the laufabrauð is a family affair because it takes time and a lot of ingredients. Following this explanation I quickly announced I will NOT be making laufabruð this year because my masters thesis owns me right now ;) and I don´t have that kind of time. I WILL, however, purchase this at the store and eat it with butter on it (apparently this is THE WAY to eat it). I´ll report back on what I think about it :) Until tomorrow... Bless! (Bye! in Icelandic)