Christmastime in Iceland

Click to view the gallery.

Saturday was a wash. I think my brain finally realized that it was on vacation and shut down. Once that happened, I was useless. Finally, at around 6:30 pm, I left the hotel and had a nice 2 and a half hour dinner and went for a long walk in the snow. It was quite theraputic.

Today I woke up to a wonderful scene of snow drifting by my hotel window. This was not the kind of snow that we get in Houston (yes, it does occasionally snow in Houston). The flakes were the size of corn flakes—some maybe even the size of potato chips (Hmmm...I must be hungry). They were preparing the main square, Austurvöllur, below for the Christmas tree lighting ceremony this afternoon. I feel very lucky to have the opportunity to witness the holiday season here. Christmas cheer is pervasive in the city right now. It doesn't seem as forced as it does at home, it is joyful and happy without being quite as annoying and thrust in your face all of the time. Simple decorations, quiet holiday music playing in the background at restaurants, etc. I'll admit, this could be a simple romanticization of the atmosphere simply due to the fact that I'm in a new place; however, it just seems different.

The lighting ceremony was very fun. A brass band and choir performed traditional holiday songs, a couple of people gave brief speeches (neither of which I understood a word of, but people laughed so I assume they were good), and then a child pressed the "red button" and the tree was aglow. More singing, photos with the tree, checking out the newly erected Eldhús, and the crowd dispursed.

Enjoy these pictures from the ceremony and around town.