ICELANDIC TOURIST BOARD DATELINE DECEMBER 2008

DREAMING OF A WHITE CHRISTMAS?
YOU�VE COME TO THE RIGHT PLACE

Pity our poor neighbors to the south who must endure a festive holiday season with nary a drop of snow on the ground. If your relative close proximity to the equator (yes, Florida and Southern Cali, we’re talking about you) is preventing you from celebrating the holidays the way they’re intended, well, let it snow, let it snow, let it snow. Up here, in Santa’s backyard, we have plenty of white stuff for you. But don’t take our word for it, here’s what award-winning travel writer Andrew Evans has to say about Christmas Icelandic style:

The Month of Christmas

The best part about Christmas in Iceland is that it lasts for one whole month—I don’t mean the crazy month of shopping that Americans start the day after Thanksgiving, nor the weeks of obligatory holiday parties and stress leading up to that one big day, December 25th. Compared to our culture, Icelandic Christmas is refreshingly anti-commercial. Jól is more of a season—the beginning of winter and a time to slow down and remember what really matters. In Iceland, the holidays really are about family, friends and some very fun, thousand-year old traditions.

On the Seventh Day of Christmas, A Rude Boy Slammed My Door

Icelandic Christmas officially begins on December 12th when the thirteen mischievous Christmas lads, or jólasveinar start showing up. The first one comes to harass sheep and doesn’t leave until Christmas day. Others play tricks like stealing food or slamming doors. “Candle beggar” comes on Christmas Day and won’t leave until January 6th. For thirteen days, children leave their shoes in the window in hopes for nightly presents from the lads, but naughty kids get a potato instead.

Eat More Fish, Shop Less

Saint Thorlákur died on December 23rd, 1193. Some eight hundred years later, Icelanders remember their patron saint on that day by eating fish and calling it quits at the mall. Icelandic tradition says that all Christmas shopping ends on St. Thorlákur’s Day. For the next three days, all the stores are closed—it’s heaven.

The Day Before Tomorrow

In Iceland, Christmas Eve feels like Christmas Day. That’s when you get to open all your presents and when you eat Christmas dinner. The next two days (Christmas and Boxing Day) are spent at home, celebrating and relaxing. The best part is that Christmas Day feels like a break from Christmas itself.

Cows Talk, People Sing

In a country that already parties hard, New Year’s Eve is the ultimate party. Icelanders build gigantic bonfires and gather in the warmth to eat, drink, and sing. In Reykjavík, the city lights up with a hundred fires and the streets are packed with people—you have to see it to believe it. The midnight sky lights up with stunning fireworks and the party keeps going well into the morning. In Iceland, New Year’s Eve is also a time for magical events—cows can talk and seals take human form. New Year’s Day is when you sleep it all off, though I prefer to go and soak in the Blue Lagoon—(yes, the spa is open even on the first day of the year).

It’s Not Over ‘til it’s Over

The holidays only end on January 6th, or the “thirteenth day” of Christmas. Threttándinn is just another night of the same month-long party with more eating, drinking, and having fun. In fact, long winter nights only mean the parties last longer. Winter in Iceland is beautiful—the air is crisp and clean, the mountains are covered in pure white snow, and the Icelanders have such creative ways to keep warm. In a country with so many flavors—the month of Christmas is perhaps the most splendid.

Andrew Evans, winner of the 2008 Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism Silver Award for Best Guidebook, wrote a detailed, personable guide to Iceland with a focus on natural treasures, including glaciers, lava flows, rugged coastlines, and breathtaking skies. The nightlife of Reykjavik and the country's viking heritage also receive ample coverage. Whether you're an outdoor enthusiast, an independent traveler on a budget, or a comfort-seeking tourist, Evans shows you how to do it – 'Icelander' style – at this eco-friendly destination.

You can purchase it on Amazon.com here.

LAST MINUTE NEW YEAR’S EVE SPECIAL

Whew! What a year it has been here in Iceland, and what an end of the year we�re about to have. �One man gathers what another man spills,� said the famed philosopher Jerry Garcia, and it�s your time to gather up some of the best deals every offered on trips to Iceland. We have great Christmas and New Year�s packages for those of you suddenly bitten by the travel bug. For instance:

Iceland Total has announced a 35% discount on a four-day, three-night package deal to celebrate New Year�s Eve in Iceland for just $437 per person based on double occupancy at the Grand Hotel Reykjavik with breakfasts included.

New Year's Eve in Iceland is a spectacular celebration - Icelanders truly know how to celebrate in style. The evening starts with sparkling wine and strawberries and a festive dinner with live music, followed by the option to tour local bonfires, where people sing traditional Icelandic folk songs. The highlight of the evening is a huge display of fireworks � stand back, nearly every family has their own show.

Enjoy a spectacular New Year�s and take this opportunity to relax in a high-class spa and indulge yourself with fine Icelandic cuisine. The minimum stay is three nights, but extra nights can be added. Departures are Dec. 29-31. Airfare is additional. For more information, click here.

MAKE LOVE UNDER THE NORTHERN LIGHTS

Got your attention, didn�t we? Well that�s just what Japanese visitors do by the hundreds each winter, staying at places like the Northern Light Inn (www.northernlightinn.is) near the Blue Lagoon. Japanese believe that making love under the lights will bring them academically gifted offspring. But far be it from us to suggest what to do on your own sweet time.

If you�re looking for a tamer aurora borealis experience, Aurora Experience escorts travelers on tours in search of the sheeting, glistening and spiking bands of light that sweep across the sky on cold, crisp, clear nights. Four to six hour tours include stops in Stokkseyri at the Ghost Center and Icelandic Wonders � an elf, troll, and Northern Lights museum with an ice bar where they�ll serve you a drink with pure natural glacier ice that bubbles and crackles as oxygen is released. You walk through creepy ghost exhibits with an MP3 player to learn about skeletons, graveyards and double-headed sheep. Evening tours leave from the center of Reykjavik and last four to six hours, and are available through March 14, 2009. Week-long �Northern Week� tours are also available. (For more information: www.auroraexperience.com).

J. CREW TRAVELS TO ICELAND

We know there are dozens of catalogs coming your way this holiday season, but here�s one to especially look for. The J. Crew holiday gift-giving catalog was recently shot in Iceland. The company is an iconic American brand known worldwide for its sophisticated, fun clothing and accessories to live, work, play and even get married in. The company operates 211 retail stores, 72 factory stores, the J.Crew catalog business, and jcrew.com.

The J. Crew team of models, photographers and stylists traveled to a mossy field in Eldhraun, stayed in a hotel in Kirkjubaejarklaustur along one of the most beautiful stretches of the Ring Road, visited turf houses in Skogar, and the glacial lagoon in Jokulsarlon. It makes us homesick just holding it. For a sneak peak, check out this blog: http://jcrewreviews.blogspot.com/2008/11/catalog-pics.html

THEY DON’T CALL IT ICE-LAND FOR NOTHING

It takes a hardy soul to enjoy the sauna at the Riverside Spa at the Hotel Selfoss, about 36 miles from Reykjavik. Riverside Spa is designed to reflect a sense of Icelandic nature with the theme of fire and ice. It’s a richly equipped area that features a steam room, sauna, hot pool, rainwater showers, relaxation room, lounge and bar. There are candles everywhere – so much for the “fire” part. But what sent chills down our spine was the spa’s ice machine that creates a mound of fresh ice to roll in after your sauna. So if you’ve ever wondered what it feels like to be a red-tinted human Slurpee, the slushy drink sold by 7-Eleven, this is the place. (www.hotelselfoss.is)

BANDS WE LIKE: THE VIKING GIANT SHOW

Folk rock band The Viking Giant Show started as a solo project by Heiðar Örn Kristjánsson a few years ago and is now a four-piece band with a mostly acoustic, socially conscious sound. Kristjánsson was a guitarist and singer in the award-winning band Botnleðja (Icelandic for "silt") for 11 years prior to forming The Viking Giant Show. Their new album “The Lost Garden Of The Hooligans” is out now on the oh-so-Icelandic-sounding Cod Music label. Check out music from TVGS on their myspace page at www.myspace.com/thevikinggiantshow, or download the album on Iceland’s version of iTunes, tonlist.com.

ONE LEAF IN THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGE

By now we�re sure you know all about Iceland�s waterfalls and elves and Christmas trolls, but we�re about to drop some new knowledge on you about the most unique Icelandic Christmas tradition of all: the making of laufabraud, or �leafbread.�

Leafbread is the name for thin, round cakes made from flour and served at Christmastime. For centuries families in Iceland have gathered a few weeks before Christmas to carve decorative patterns into these cakes, especially in north Iceland where the tradition originates. The cakes are then fried in melted sheep fat and served with hangikj�t, smoked lamb, on Christmas Day. While decorated bread is also a tradition in other countries, leaf-thin deep-fried cakes with patterns created by making cuts through the dough only happens in Iceland.

The cakes are thin because flour was sparse in early Iceland, and the pattern was meant to make up for the small amount of food the bread actually constituted. Traditionally, the triangular cuts are made with a pocketknife and are known as leaves�hence the name �leafbread.�

Designer and decorator Hugr�n �varsd�ttir has created a holiday exhibit of leafbread at Amtsb�kasafnid Library in Akureyri, the capital of the north. The exhibit runs through January 6. (http://www.akureyri.is/amtsbokasafn/english/)

THEY SAID IT

“Breath-taking landscapes surrounded by natural wonders abound in this remarkable island nation. It is rugged, but it is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been.”

– Al Roker, NBC TODAY Show, “TODAY At The Ends Of The Earth,” Nov. 17

“Once one of Europe's priciest countries for foreign visitors, Iceland is on sale. American travelers who a year ago blanched at paying $25 for a hamburger are discovering in this North Atlantic island a rare European outpost where the dollar still garners some respect. Look beyond the souvenir shops hawking trolls in Viking headgear and you'll find well-designed goods with sleek lines and Scandinavian sensibilities.”

– Jayne Clark, USA Today, “Price Thaw In Iceland,” Nov. 21

“While Icelanders have seen their currency, the kronur, drop by an alarming 51 percent against the dollar since just last year, the current economic slump has been an unexpected windfall for the country’s tourism industry. Visitor numbers have doubled and there are now plenty of bargains for travel to a nation with breathtaking scenery — think snowcapped mountains, glaciers, waterfalls, and an abundance of natural hot springs — as well as its cool capital and nightlife hub, Reykjavik. By mid-December the polar night has pretty much descended upon Iceland, with Reykjavik experiencing a mere two hours of sunlight each day. Catch a glimpse of the wondrous northern lights in the sky during winter however, and you won’t even miss the sun.”

– MSNBC Travel, Deals section, Nov. 21

Travel Deals of the Month

Christmas Adventure

Experience all the Christmas magic Reykjavik has to offer. Your adventure includes a visit to the famous Blue Lagoon, a private guided walking tour in Old Town through a city furnished with lights in all colors, and the highlight: the funny new "Let's Talk Christmas" skit where you will learn about both Icelandic Christmas traditions and the Thirteen Yule Lads from their mother, Gryla the Troll. Many of these unusual traditions have their origins in Old Norse legends and practices, but they are still an active part of modern Icelandic life.

Over 100 Reykjavik merchants are organizing a special Christmas promotion in December, so there will be many excellent shopping opportunities with free street entertainment and hot chocolate.

Stay at the Hotel Loftleidir, which offers access to an indoor swimming pool, Jacuzzi and sauna. The Lon restaurant is famous for its Danish/Icelandic Christmas buffet dinners.

From $699* per person based on double occupancy. Hurry, departures only run through Dec. 15. For more information, click here.

Winter Wellness Getaway

It's time to slow down and get back into balance. Revive yourself with a visit to Reykjavik, with its clean and crisp air, geothermal pools and dynamic people. Relax and recharge your body and soul and at the same time allow yourself to enjoy the spectacular nature Iceland has to offer. Stay at the Hotel Loftleidir, which offers access to an indoor swimming pool, Jacuzzi and sauna. The Loftleidir is also the only hotel in Iceland offering traditional Chinese foot massages. Guests of the hotel receive 10% discount off of treatments.

From $699* per person based on double occupancy. Departures: Now through Mar. 31, 2009. For more information, click here.

Three Night Spa Spree

This extravagant escape provides pampering galore: stay in Reykjavik�s elegant Hilton Reykjavik Nordica Hotel and Spa and indulge in luxury treatments with mineral salt baths, Icelandic lava therapy, a relaxing Fire and Ice massage and more. You�ll return home refreshed in body and spirit.

The Nordica Spa offers luxury treatments with mineral salt baths, steam room, a well-staffed fitness center and a genuine Finnish sauna in its own outdoor garden. Relax after your treatment in a special lounge while you are serenaded by music or birdsong. Spa treatments can be arranged for couples together, and special massage facilities are available for pregnant women.

From $1,509* per person based on double occupancy. Departures through Oct 31, 2009. For more information, click here.

*Prices quoted are exclusive of applicable taxes and official charges by destination of approximately $100-$270, per person including the Sept. 11th Security Fee.

For information on other exciting activities in Iceland, be sure to visit:

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