The Little Book of Days in Iceland

In Iceland, we have a saying: Að gera sér glaðan dag. It means “To make a happy day for yourself.” We Icelanders like to make happy days for ourselves.

Some of our days go back hundreds of years and celebrate special traditions or events in our history. Others are more recent additions, or are simply for fun.

In this beautifully-illustrated book, we invite you to share in some of our happy days and seasonal events, and to gera þér glaðan dag.

Some of the days and seasonal happenings you will learn about in this book, including their historical and cultural significance:

• Þrettándinn, when elves appear at bonfires
• Husband’s day, when men get spoiled
• The three crazy days leading up to Lent: Cream Puff Day, Bursting Day, Ash Wednesday
• Þorrablót (aka “the festival of rotten food”)
• Women’s Day (when the ladies get spoiled)
• Beer Day
• The First Day of Summer (celebrated in April, and a public holiday in Iceland)
• Seafarers’ Day
• 17 June, National Day
• Midsummer Night
• The Festival of the End of the Volcanic Eruption (Icelandic has a one-word name for that one)
• The Day of the Icelandic Tongue
• Sovereign Day, when Iceland gained sovereignty from Denmark
• Christmas and New Year’s Eve
  … and much more.

The book contains 60 beautiful illustrations that are as whimsical and fun as the days and events that they represent.
A delightful book to jot down appointments, birthdays or significant events, or just to enjoy for the lovely artwork and warm and witty text.