Would you be interested in knowing what things I have not yet ticked off my Christmas to-do list?

BUY THE CHRISTMAS TREE
Someone asked me the other day where our Christmas trees come from, because they sure don’t come from around here [as you all know – maybe – Iceland is a virtually tree-less country. At least compared to, well, just about anywhere else.] The answer to that is they’re imported like everything else [except maybe fish and woolly sweaters and pop stars] – mostly from Norway. And most of them are sold with the proceeds going to charity.

Over here the tradition is to decorate the tree just a day or two before Christmas – usually on the 23rd, or even on Christmas Eve day. The more accustomed I become to this custom, the more I like it. Two weeks of superlative beauty. After all, who likes a dry, shrivelled-up Christmas tree? [And no, I don’t feel any guilt about cutting down a live tree, only to dispose of it two weeks later, any more than I feel guilty about buying a bouquet of flowers. They’re cultivated for that purpose, yeh? So talk to the hand.]

FINISH CHRISTMAS PREZZIE SHOPPING
… For EPI’s three daughters. Plus trek into town with AAH to get one last prezzie for her to give to EPI. Have solemnly promised to take her to a kaffihús – café –for Swiss Mocha/Cafe Latte while we’re at it. We’re nothing if not civilized.

DINNER AT THE VIRGIN
A few years ago EPI and I happened into this restaurant called Jómfrúin [The Virgin] in December while out Christmas shopping and boy, were we swept off our feet! This place ordinarily does Danish specialty sandwiches and some hot lunch dishes, and for that it is generally acknowledged to be in a league of its own. However, during advent they do these special Christmas platters, that consist of various samplings of Danish/Scandinavian Yule fare, like pickled herring, smoked eel, wild game paté, and a whole bunch of other delectable stuff that I can’t think of at the moment. This all topped off with the gorgeous ris a l’amande that I mentioned in my last post [sans almond, alas!]. Anyway, for EPI and YT the advent is not complete without dinner there at least once. Preferably with some good friends.

SCRUB DOWN THE APARTMENT
[Groan.]

SHOP FOR GROCERIES LIKE THERE’S NO TOMORROW
Lil’ trick I’ve learned: stores are all open until 10pm or something, so go at dinnertime. Then you practically have the place to yourself. Crafty ol’ me, eh?

AND IN THE MEANTIME…
Get self psyched for the Rancid Skate Party on the 23rd. Chest hair sprouts forth at the very thought.

YES BUT WHAT ABOUT THE WEATHER F’RCRYINGOUTLOUD??
It rained today. Like gangbusters. Despite this rather alarming state of affairs, AAH and YT decided to give the malls a pass and headed down to festive old Laugavegur [lovely downtown shopping artery virtually killed off a couple of years ago by suburban Penis Mall and its evil sidekick Kringlan] to do some Christmas shopping. There we ducked in and out of stores in pure Yuletide bliss [yeh yeh, dream on]. This morning there was a foul wind but it died down and at the moment it appears relatively calm. Temps are a very balmy 6°C and our sun came up this morning at 11.20 and set at 15.30.

NOTE: If you’re missing the Yule Lad coverage, fret not because tomorrow I promise a complete rundown of the lads that have graced our fair town with their presence these past few days.