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The Best Day of the Year
Íslendingadagurinn - BEST DAY OF THE YEAR By Doreen Borgfjord McFarlane Every year, visitors, dignitaries, and volunteers from across...
Aug 6, 20235 min read


Iceland's January Holidays
According to the old Norse calendar, the year is made up of Winter and Summer. January is the halfway point of winter, and several...
Jan 8, 20234 min read


Sharing Conversation About Christmas Traditions
-By Beth Finnson The highlight of Samtal Hour on December 19th was Icelandic Christmas traditions here in North America. That said, the...
Dec 25, 20225 min read


My Saga with Saint Thorlák
Submitted By Aimée O’Connell, Guest Author It was one of those mornings that homeschooling families know very well: the kids were...
Dec 11, 20227 min read


Turkeys and a Christmas Cat
by Sharron Arksey A husband watched his young wife prepare the turkey. “Why do you always cut it in half before putting it in the...
Dec 11, 20222 min read


Christmas at Árbær Open-Air Museum (Árbæjarsafn)
Located just south and east of Reykjavík city center, along Route 1 (the Ring Road), and east of the River Elliðaá, lies the Árbær...
Nov 26, 20222 min read


What the Yule Boys Have Brought Me
by Gay Strandemo Author Heidi Herman and I once again team up at Samtal Hour to discuss the Icelandic Yule Boys - Jólasveinar. To join us...
Nov 26, 20223 min read


Our Third Annual Book Flood - Jólabókaflóð
Tis’ the season for Jólabókaflóðið or Christmas Book Flood. Iceland is one of the most literate countries in the world and has a long...
Nov 26, 202225 min read


Menningarnótt 2022
Reykjavík’s anniversary has been celebrated on August 18th since 1786 when the Danish King lifted the Trade Monopoly on Iceland and...
Aug 12, 20222 min read


Commerce Day-Iceland's First Monday in August Public Holiday
The first Monday of August is Commerce Day, a public holiday in Iceland. This creates a long summer weekend known as Verslunarmannahelgi...
Jul 31, 20222 min read


Sailing through the Westfjords
by Judy Dickson Editor's note: You can view the first leg of this sailing voyage in the previous article in this series. Four members of...
Jul 17, 20222 min read


Icelandic Roots at the Heritage Celebrations
Icelandic Roots genealogists will be LIVE for the important Icelandic Heritage Celebrations in North Dakota and Manitoba at the end of...
Jul 17, 20224 min read


2022 August the Deuce Celebration
The 123rd Annual Deuce of August Icelandic Celebration gets underway on Friday, July 30th in Mountain, North Dakota. If you've never...
Jul 3, 20221 min read


Remembering Afi
The third Sunday of June in the United States and Canada is set aside to honor our fathers and grandfathers, while Iceland celebrates...
Jun 19, 20229 min read


Amma Sumarlína-A Mother's Day Remembrance
Amma, Mother, Daughter By Bryndís Víglundsdóttir My maternal grandmother, Sumarlína Pétursdóttir, IR #128090, born April 22nd, 1886 in...
May 6, 20227 min read


Rúgbrauð - Rye Bread Recipe
VERSION 1 by Bryndís Viglundsdóttir 12 dl. Rúgmjöl 6 cups rye flour 2 dl. Hveiti 1 cup white flour 2 dl. Heilhveiti 1 cup whole wheat 2...
Apr 14, 20222 min read


Celebrating Easter in Iceland
Linguists maintain that the English word for Easter derives from the name of the Anglo Saxon maiden of spring, Ostara. The month of April...
Apr 8, 20224 min read


MERKISDAGAR, April 1
“In many parts of the world, people entertain themselves on April 1. On that day, people try to tease and play a trick on family,...
Mar 25, 20222 min read


Celebrating the New Year with Folklore
The New Year and upcoming days come with more feasts, holiday happenings, traditions, and folklore. Enjoy the folklore story below and...
Jan 1, 20224 min read


The Old Norse Calendar
As we begin the New Year from our modern calendar, this is a good time to look back at our Icelandic heritage and the calendar used by...
Dec 30, 20212 min read
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