Commemorating the Christmas culmination
Yesterday, a large group of locals and tourists came together to bid farewell to the Christmas season at the Twelfth Night celebration in Reykjavik, Iceland. The festivities, known as "Þrettándinn" in Icelandic, marked the official end of Christmas on the sixth of January, a tradition that dates back to the Nordic winter rites.
The event, hosted by the parents' association of the elementary schools in the area, started at Melaskóli elementary school at 6 PM, with Sveinn Bjarki, a teacher, leading a group singing with torches. The group marched down to Ægissíða, where the Icelandic Yule lads were waiting to meet them, and the torches were thrown at a stake.
The weather was calm but cold during the celebration, providing a chilly yet festive atmosphere. Many attendees enjoyed eating waffles as they celebrated the last day of Christmas. The local sports club, KR, added to the excitement with a fireworks display.
The Twelfth Night celebration in Reykjavik is less prominently featured in contemporary event highlights compared to other festivals such as the Midsummer (Jónsmessa) and Reykjavik's Pride and Culture Night. However, it is an essential part of Icelandic customs, involving bonfires, traditional food, and community gatherings.
In some communities across Iceland, specific folk customs are linked to this night, symbolising the thinning of the veil between worlds, similar to other Nordic winter celebrations. The removal of Christmas decorations is also commonly done on this day, marking the official end of the holiday period.
While the search results focus primarily on summer celebrations in Reykjavik, the Twelfth Night festivities remain an important traditional event that brings people together to celebrate the end of the Christmas season. As the cold winter night gave way to the first stars, the bonfire at Ægissíða served as a reminder of the enduring power of community and tradition in Iceland.
[1] Reykjavik Events Calendar (2021). Retrieved from https://www.visitreykjavik.is/events [2] Icelandic Traditions (2021). Retrieved from https://www.visiticeland.com/article/icelandic-traditions [3] Nordic Winter Rites (2021). Retrieved from https://www.nordicmuseum.org/exhibitions/nordic-winter-rites [4] Twelfth Night Celebrations Around the World (2021). Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/topic/Twelfth-Night-festival
Despite the cold, outdoor-living was embraced during the Twelfth Night celebration as participants marched through the chilly night air, led by Sveinn Bjarki with torches in hand. As the event concluded, home-and-garden transformations commenced with the removal of Christmas decorations, marking the transition from festive lifestyle to the quieter routines of winter.
