Icelandic Life
Christmas in Iceland blends folklore, food and family traditions
The Icelandic Christmas season stretches for weeks, weaving together ancient legends, festive food, and cherished customs unique to the island nation.
Topic
Tag: folklore
Icelandic Life
Inside Iceland’s curious phallological museum and its place in Reykjavík life
From whale anatomy to invisible elves, the Icelandic Phallological Museum offers a rare perspective on one nation’s relationship with bodies, folklore, and openness to new ideas.
Icelandic Life
Hálendið marries Icelandic landscape and psychological horror
Steinar Bragi’s 2011 novel Hálendið sets four urban Icelanders adrift in the haunted highlands, blending folklore, horror, and the tensions of Iceland’s economic crisis.
Volcanoes & Nature
The common loon on Iceland’s lakes: echoes of folklore and northern waters
With fewer than 1,000 birds, the common loon is Iceland’s only regularly nesting diver. Its ghostly calls and vivid plumage have left a mark on local legend and language.
Extraordinary
Iceland’s necropants legend reveals a dark side of folklore and sorcery
The nábrók myth blends the uncanny with a grim humour, providing a glimpse into Icelandic beliefs surrounding magic, wealth and the supernatural.
Icelandic Life
Witchcraft and milk theft: the peculiar tale of the tilberi in Icelandic folklore
The tilberi, also called snakkur, is a magical creature from Icelandic legend, created by women to steal milk from their neighbours’ livestock.
Icelandic Life
Iceland’s Yule cat links winter, folklore and a tradition of new clothes
From a countryside monster to a festive city symbol, the Yule cat (Jólakötturinn) prowls Icelandic Christmas folklore, blending old tales of threat and reward with modern celebration.
