Christmas in Iceland

The thirteen Yule Lads

Icelandic folklore features thirteen brothers known as the Yule Lads, or jólasveinarnir. According to legend, they are the sons of the mountain-dwelling trolls Grýla and Leppalúði. Over the thirteen nights leading up to Christmas Eve, children place shoes on their window sills. Each night, a different brother visits from the mountains to leave a small present in the shoe. Every Lad has a distinct personality and mischief, such as banging doors, stealing meat or milk, and chewing on candles. While traditionally portrayed in historic Icelandic wool garments, they are also frequently pictured wearing red and white suits.

Holiday meals and baking

Food preparation brings households together throughout the festive period. On 23 December, a day dedicated to Saint Thorlak, many families eat boiled skate. The main festive dinner takes place on Christmas Eve, often featuring glazed ham, smoked lamb, ptarmigan, or turkey. Baking is another shared activity. Families make thin gingerbread treats finished with colourful icing to offer visitors. Another central custom is preparing laufabrauð, a delicate flatbread that family members cut into decorative geometric designs using specialised cutting tools and careful folds before cooking.

Christmas Eve and New Year

The core celebration begins promptly at six in the evening on 24 December when church bells chime across the country. Observant people attend church services, while others immediately sit down for dinner. After eating, households gather around the decorated tree to unwrap gifts and spend the night together. The close of December is marked across Old Year's Day and New Year's Day. Communities set off fireworks throughout the night and following morning to say farewell to the departing year and welcome the new season.

Twelfth Night bonfires

The festivities conclude on 6 January, a day known as Þrettándinn, which corresponds to Epiphany. This marks the thirteenth day after Christmas Eve. People gather across the island around large outdoor bonfires to bring the season to a formal close. According to local belief, this night is when elves, trolls, and the Yule Lads return to the mountains until the next winter. Residents join these mythical figures in festive dancing near the fires before bidding them farewell.

How Christmas in Iceland is kept

Observance begins four Sundays before Christmas Eve, lighting a new candle every week. Children put shoes in their windows each night to receive treats from the visiting Yule Lads. Indoor trees are set up and decorated, often starting in mid-December. On 23 December, people eat boiled skate. Christmas Eve starts at six o'clock with church bells, leading into church services or festive dinners, followed by opening gifts by the tree. Celebrations continue through New Year fireworks and finish on 6 January with outdoor bonfires and dancing to send off magical folk.

When and where

The season begins four weeks prior to 24 December, known as Aðfangadagur. It continues through Old Year's Day on 31 December and New Year's Day on 1 January, officially finishing on 6 January, called Þrettándinn.

The tradition is kept throughout Iceland, taking place inside family homes, local churches, and outdoor public spaces across towns and villages where fireworks and communal bonfires are held.

What Christmas in Iceland means

Jól combines family togetherness with old folklore during the dark midwinter period. The weekly lighting of candles marks the passing of Advent, while the stories of the Yule Lads and troll parents bring humour and excitement to children. Bonfires and fireworks on Old Year's Day and Epiphany represent bidding farewell to the old year, saying goodbye to visiting spirits, and greeting the return of light.

Questions people ask about Christmas in Iceland

See also

Advent calendarA daily countdown to Christmas using doors, images, or small gifts.FastelavnA pre-Lenten carnival in Northern Europe where children dress up, sing for treats, and break candy-filled barrels.ÞjóðhátíðAn annual outdoor island festival of concerts, bonfires and hillside singing in IcelandÞorrablótAn Icelandic midwinter feast of dinner, speeches and poetry

Good reading and sources

• Before the Yule Lads Evolved Into Icelandic Versions of Santa Claus, They Terrorized Children Into Following the RulesSmithsonian Magazine, Article
• Before the Yule Lads Evolved Into Icelandic Versions of Santa Claus, They Terrorized Children Into Following the RulesSmithsonian Magazine, Article

• Christmas in Iceland on WikipediaEncyclopedia
• More photos on Wikimedia CommonsPhotos and video
• Wikidata recordOpen data

It may contain mistakes. Traditions differ from one family, village and community to the next, and the people who keep them know them best. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-05.