Icelandic National Broadcasting Service (RUV),       25 December 2024 4:40 PM
RÚV English Radio - SIGGI'S CHRISTMAS SONGS

Darren is joined by his friend and colleague from Rás 2, Siggi Gunnars, who selects his favourite classic Icelandic songs for you to enjoy on the big day.

RÚV English Radio covers everything Icelandic - news, culture, music, language, events, people, places & more - in English.

Find this and previous shows & podcasts here, more

Icelandic National Broadcasting Service (RUV),       25 December 2024 8:35 AM
What was pagan "Yule" like?

What kind of Yule did Icelanders who believed in Þór (Thor), Óðinn (Odin), Freyr, Freyja, and other gods of the old Norse religion celebrate?

The pagan Yule festival appears to have been linked to Freyr, the fertility god associated with the sun's radiance. A poem by Þorbjörn Hornklofi, a Norwegian poet from the 9th century, hints at this connection. The poem describes the warfare of Harald Fairhair and includes the lines:

more

Icelandic National Broadcasting Service (RUV),       24 December 2024 11:55 PM
Agreement for cross-country ski trails at Hólmsheiði and Rauðavatn

Reykjavík City has signed a service agreement with Sporið, over the provision of cross-country ski trails at Hólmsheiði and Rauðavatn this winter.

The city says the agreement meets the needs of "a rapidly growing group of people who enjoy this sport", making available quality, organised ski trails in the city when conditions allow.

Sporið will monitor […] more

Icelandic National Broadcasting Service (RUV),       24 December 2024 4:40 PM
RÚV English Radio - JÓLABJÓR!

The Höfn band Parket have been together for a quarter of a century, and at the start of that period, wrote a song about their love of the festive beer popular in Iceland at Christmas - the jólabjór.

The song has been rerecorded by the band - and a new jólabjór is being brewed in its honour.

Darren went to Höfn to speak with Stjáni […] more

mbl.is,   24 December 2024 4:32 PM
Christmas swim in the wind and snow

A swim on Christmas Eve is a rich tradition for many. more

Icelandic National Broadcasting Service (RUV),       24 December 2024 4:15 PM
What Iceland ate - and had delivered - in 2024

As the nation prepares to enjoy its festive feasts, the delivered food choices in Iceland in 2024 suggest international tastes, with burgers, pizza, and chicken, making up the top three.

The largest restaurant order in Iceland this year was fit for a (hungry) king, totalling 83 items, including drinks. This was also the most expensive order, at over 136,000 ISK, on a selection of fried chicken.

This year, the […] more

Iceland Review,   24 December 2024 2:48 PM
Orange Weather Warning For West Iceland on Christmas Day

The Icelandic Meteorological Office have issued several weather warnings for tonight and Christmas Day.  From 8 pm this evening, there is an orange warning in place for west Iceland, including Reykjavik and the greater Capital Region.  The Icelandic Meteorological Office expects this to last until 6 pm the next evening, whereupon it will be downscaled […] more

mbl.is,   24 December 2024 2:30 PM
Has been working on Christmas Eve for 25 years

As the church bells ring in Christmas at six o’clock today, on Christmas Eve, Ástbjörn Egilsson is at work in Reykjavík Cathedral as he has done at this time every year since 1999. “It’s wonderful to be in church on Christmas Eve, as it is on all days,” he says. “It’s a good community and it gets even better on big holidays like Christmas and Easter.” more