Who doesn’t love the holidays? Icelanders are as much in love with Christmas as anyone else. The streets and homes are decorated in bright lights and Christmas buffets at restaurants offer delicacies like smoked lamb and puffin. Then, of course, a week later, the New Year is celebrated with a bang – it’s probably the biggest fireworks display you’ll ever see.

Don’t wait until the last minute to do your holiday shopping. Check below for an irresistible shopping trip that combines shopping with some old fashioned relaxation, Iceland style. So go north this holiday season. We have the inside track on holiday gift-giving. After all, Iceland is only a short distance from Santa’s Workshop.

LONELY PLANET: ICELAND CONSIDERED BEST VALUE FOR 2010

In Lonely Planet’s fifth eagerly-awaited annual collection of the best places to go and the best things to do around the world for the year ahead, Iceland is one of only 10 countries or cities considered a “Best Value” destination for 2010. It shares the list with London, Las Vegas, and Thailand. You can see the announcement here:

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/press-centre/press-release.cfm?press_release_id=439

Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2010 captures the world’s hottest travel trends, destinations, journeys and experiences for the year ahead, bringing together the expertise of Lonely Planet authors, staff and travelers.

Tags: budget, value

NEW YEAR’S EVE IN ICELAND IS FOR PARTY PEOPLE

One of the oldest holidays in the human calendar, the dawning of a new year has always been a raucous occasion, especially in Iceland. Bring your drinking hat, your dancing shoes, and your fireproof underwear for this one.

New Year's Eve in Reykjavik always begins with a hearty dinner followed by bonfire parties and the singing of traditional Icelandic folk songs. Keep an eye out for the elves and trolls who are said to join the human inhabitants in their revelry. Then at the stroke of midnight, enjoy a show the likes of which you have never before seen. It may not be as organized as the 4th of July fireworks in New York harbor, but it is certainly no less thunderous and impressive as it's thrown against the backdrop of the Aurora Borealis.

Feast your senses on the sights and sounds, and then join the masses as they head into the city center for some serious clubbing. It’s the dawn of a new decade. New Year's in Reykjavik will ensure that your 2010 will be one to remember.

Tags: New Years Eve, party, Reykjavik

FILL YOUR HOLIDAY STOCKINGS WITH ICELAND PRODUCTS

Tired of giving soap-on-a-rope again to your dad? Or a pair of slippers for mom? Break out of the rut with a unique product from Iceland, the Niceland. The 15 percent tax-free refund for tourists on a minimum purchase of about $40 (5,000 ISK) adds to the shopping nirvana. Here are some ideas:

Laugarvegur – Iceland’s Fifth Avenue

Strolling down the main shopping street, Laugarvegur, in Reykjavik will make you think you’re on one long catwalk of tres chic boutiques. Some of our favorites are:

Kisan with its ultra sumptuous hand-knit sweaters and unique home goods (www.kisan.is).

Fashion forward KronKron located in a loft-like boutique filled with bold Prints and patterns (www.kronkron.com)

Trilogia is the jewel in the crown of Laugarvegur shopping. Part boutique, part art gallery, it is named as having one of the city’s strongest mixes of Iceland and international collections, selling work by recent fashion graduates alongside big brand heavyweights. Find designer labels like Alexander McQueen, Chloe, Preen, Erotokritos, Orion, Pepa Delight, Robert Cary Williams, and Antipodium – serious fashion with a lot of attitude thrown in. The store is frequently converted into an art gallery for true fashion is really an art.

Naturceuticals from The Blue Lagoon

You don’t need to go to Iceland to give the best skincare Iceland has to offer. Blue Lagoon Iceland skin care is a true naturceutical brand, providing a perfect harmony between nature and science, and it’s available to you right now. The spa’s production methods are green and environmentally friendly, and high-performance formulations pamper all the senses and make one’s daily skin care regime a joyful Icelandic experience. All products are hypoallergenic and dermatologically tested so skin feels pure, rejuvenated, glowing with energy.

All bath and skincare products are available on-line at bluelagoon.com/Shop/. There’s an on-line store locator, or you can order on-line – product is stocked in the U.S. for faster delivery. U.S. residents that order in November receive free shipping on orders over $100.

Shop for gifts and souvenirs ‘til you drop

Making your shopping trip complete are a wide variety of traditional Icelandic gifts and souvenirs. Iceland’s largest souvenir shop is called The Viking, located in the hearts of Akureyri and Reykjavik.

Find hand-knitted Icelandic woolens, sheepskin outerwear, lava-laced pottery, Viking inspired novelty gifts, stunning photographic books, music and artwork from local artists – all are available in shops throughout the country and in the duty free stores of Leif Eriksson International Airport in Keflavik (www.dutyfree.is).

Tags: blue lagoon, boutiques, design, fashion, shopping

It’s difficult to think of Iceland without thinking of superlative music. From Bjork and The Sugarcubes, Sigur Ros, Mum and Mugison and many other classical, jazz, folk and pop artists, this small and remote North Atlantic nation has punched well above its weight over the last two decades.

If anything, the island’s incessant soundtrack is growing ever more dynamic, as artists and bands, inspired by the continual international success of their peers, continue to create original, world class music.

IMX, an exciting government sponsored initiative aims to bring together the disparate strands of Iceland’s eclectic scene under one roof. By increasing access to information about artists, collaborating with companies to promote Icelandic music and organizing marketing strategies, festival and event participation, IMX hopes to increase the visibility of Icelandic music. See and listen for yourself. IMX’s landmark Web site serves as the first-ever one stop shop for Icelandic Music. Bookmark it today: www.icelandmusic.is.

Tags: music

They come right to your hotel in super big trucks capable of navigating remote corners of Langjokull, Snaefellsjokull and other Icelandic glaciers not far from Reykjavik. When you get there, off you go on snowmobiles, with guides leading the way. Snowmobile excursions are arranged by experienced agents who also provide all the warm gear needed.

Arctic Adventures offers daylong trips beginning at around $200. They leave directly from Reykjavik and require at least two people. Guided glacier trips continue through the winter. The wildest excursions are to Vatnajokull, Europe's largest glacier, covering much of southeast Iceland, including several active volcanoes. Participants must be 21 and have a driver's license, but no previous knowledge of snowmobiles is necessary. For more information: Adventures.is/Iceland/SnowScooter/

Tags: adventure, countryside, glacier, tours, Vatnajokull

CRAVE A BIG MAC ON VACATION? DON’T COME LOOKING AT US

Iceland is set to lose all three of its McDonald's locations, all in Reykjavik. Frankly, it always puzzled us why people would want a Big Mac anyway, what with world class gourmet restaurants on every block, the freshest seafood on the planet, and the water – don’t get us started on how crisp, clean and pure the water is.

The cratering of the Icelandic economy, paired with the expense of importing nearly every single ingredient on the menu – packaging, meat, vegetables, cheese – forced brothers Jon and Magnus Ogmundsson to close their franchise, despite a big run on Big Macs during the closing days. Don’t ask us why, but the media is fascinated with Iceland – this story made worldwide news.

Iceland already had the third priciest Big Mac on the planet, behind Norway and Sweden, and the need for a further price hike effectively swung a wrecking ball into the Golden Arches. They plan to re-open the locations under a new name – how’s this guys: McEinar’s? or McThor? They’ll use local ingredients, so keep an eye out for an Egg McPuffin on your next trip.

Tags: cuisine, food, Reykjavik

WHERE DO EVENT PROFESSIONALS LIKE TO STAY? ONE GUESS

Business travelers know a thing or two about the best places to meet in the world. Recently SITE, a global network of meeting, travel and event professionals – 2,000 from 87 countries – has awarded its prestigious Crystal Award to the Hilton Reykjavik Nordica. The Crystal Awards Recognition Program is a way to honor top professionals who deliver programs that connect motivational experiences to solid business results. This recognition serves as a benchmark for international events and is regarded as one of the highest honors in the travel industry. Got a meeting to plan? We’ve got the place. In fact, we have a whole country.

Tags: accommodations, Reykjavik, They Said It