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Every year the Icelandic Roots Newsletter team considers the articles contributed to the newsletter by IR members and others. These are not the "best" posts, but they appealed to us for various reasons. We have compiled a short list of our favourites for your consideration: The 50th anniversary of the Women’s March was the most inspirational event in 2025 for me. We featured several articles as a tribute to the women in Iceland who fought for gender equality back in 1975. The

by Ken Barr   Reprinted with permission from Icelandic Connection  v67(1): pp12–13, 2015. Living in caves out of town, They wait all year for their chance, For mischief in December, To dance their holiday dance.   The thirteen sons of Grýla, ýla, Their father Leppalúði, Each yuletide season they come, For mischief, wait and you’ll see.   Each one is so different, In at the antics that they choose, But they’re brothers after all, Each one with nothing to lose.   So starting De

The story is based on Jón Árnason's Icelandic Folktales and taken from the book Hildur, Queen of the Elves, and Other Stories: Icelandic Folk Tales retold by J. M. Bedell. Story is used with permission. Hildur, Queen of the Elves And Other Stories: Icelandic Folk Tales, retold by   J. M. Bedell, Interlink Books, 2007. amazon.com Around the middle of the 7th century, on a poor farm in the Kelda district, there lived two sisters, Sigrídur and Geirlaug. For reasons no one else

This wonderful new Christmas legend is currently only available in Icelandic, but will be out next year in English. If you have been learning Icelandic a children's book can be a good way to practise, and I did surprisingly well with reading it, I was very encouraged!  You will have heard, I am sure, of the festive peril that awaits you should you not be gifted any new clothes for Christmas - Jólakötturinn , or the Yule Cat, will come to devour you! Jólabókaormurinn introd

By Sharron Arksey Celebrating Thanksgiving is held at different times in Canada and the United States. Our Writers' Group wrote stories about thankfulness for both holidays. With our American cousins anticipating its arrival, Sharron shares her thoughts on thankfulness after the trip to Iceland this past September. I did not try to count the sheep I saw in Iceland during the 2025 Icelandic Roots tour; there were too many. I did, however, smile often as I watched their woolly

by Doreen Borgford McFarlane This is an excerpt from a yet unpublished book Leirarskotta  by Doreen Borgfjord McFarlane. Author's Note: This book that I wrote tells the story of an Icelandic girl ghost who, according to Icelandic records, lived and followed the Borgfjord family for no less than eight generations. I learned about her quite accidentally around 2015 by reading a lecture on "Icelandic Immigrant Ghosts" that was delivered at the University of Victoria, B.C. in 200

My mother once, after reading one of my short stories, said, “How did you know that?” “That” was a description of ice forming on rocks...

By Cathy Josephson Cathy volunteers for Icelandic Roots and also at the East Iceland Emigration Center in Vopnafjörður. She also serves...

Editor Note:  There is a change in the usual timing for this event. It will be taking place at 1200 noon Central Time (DST) on October 2...

Reviewed by Sharron Arksey   Jonas Ebaneser is in a midlife crisis and when he discovers that his daughter is not biologically his, he...

Here are ten suggestions on how to do genealogical research. Even experienced genealogists might find these tips worthwhile. Plus, we've...

By Sharron Arksey Þórdís Gísladóttir at Göteborg Book Fair (2016) ...

By Doreen M McFarlane Ah, what can a person write about in regard to CHANGE? That is the question. Too many ideas come to mind. Which...

Heather hosts William Valgarson at Book Club in June 2025

By Bryndís Viglundsdóttir The Icelandic Roots Writers' Group submits short stories about Icelandic life and lore after given a prompt for...

Bill tells of his ancestral arrival to New Iceland and his memories.

Torfi Tulinius is Professor of Medieval Icelandic Studies at the University of Iceland. On March 16, 2025, he delivered a talk as part of...

by Gunnar Birgisson Icelandic Roots welcomes a new guest writer, Gunnar Birgisson. He expresses his thoughts about the rivers in Iceland...

IR Writers' Group short story "Changes"

Legends: Are they Fact or Fiction?