Marking the Closing Day of Christmas Celebrations
In Iceland, the Twelfth Night, known as Þrettándinn, marks the official end of the Christmas festivities. This significant cultural event falls on the evening of January 5th, symbolising the transition from the festive period back to ordinary days.
The Significance of Þrettándinn in Iceland
Þrettándinn holds a special place in Icelandic culture, symbolising the last night when people keep candles lit and hold gatherings. Throughout Icelandic history, this night was surrounded by customs aimed at protecting homes from evil spirits and marking the shift from the holy and magical Christmas time back to everyday life.
Traditional Celebrations and Modern Observance
Traditionally, Icelanders would burn the last of the Yule log or keep candles lit throughout the night as a symbol of illumination and to dispel darkness. In parts of Iceland, particularly in the west and around Reykjavik, it has become customary to hold large communal bonfires on Þrettándinn. These bonfires have grown in popularity in recent decades as a social event.
People often gather with family and friends for a cozy evening marked by candlelight, sometimes eating special treats or drinking a hearty drink. In the western part of Reykjavik, these bonfires can be quite large and are community events where neighbours come together to celebrate with warmth and light during the dark winter. These fires serve both as a social occasion and a symbolic farewell to the Christmas season.
While some traditional superstition has faded, Þrettándinn remains an important cultural marker. It is increasingly celebrated with community events, especially the nighttime bonfires in Reykjavik’s western districts. The bonfires offer a chance for people to connect, enjoy the winter evening, and embrace Iceland’s longstanding customs of light and fire in the dark winter months.
Twelfth Night Celebrations Across Iceland
Yesterday, people in Iceland celebrated the end of Christmas with bonfires and fireworks, particularly at Ægissíða in Reykjavík. Sveinn Bjarki, a teacher, led a group singing at the bonfire at Ægissíða, accompanied by the police. The bonfire in the western part of Reykjavík was hosted by the parents' association of the elementary schools in the area.
The Icelandic Yule lads met with the group at Ægissíða, and the torches were thrown at the stake. A last-minute surge of activity secured a good size group of people at the bonfire, including a fairly large group of tourists.
Friðrik Dór Jónsson, a singer, performed at a Twelfth Night bonfire in Gufunes, while other bonfires took place across Iceland, including in Akranes, Mosfellsbær, and Djúpivogur. Attendees at the bonfire in the western part of Reykjavík could enjoy baked waffles, and the local sports club, KR, had a fireworks display.
The sixth of January is known as Þrettándinn in Icelandic, and is more commonly known as Twelfth Night in the English-speaking world. Despite the passing of time, the traditions and spirit of Þrettándinn continue to bring Icelanders together to celebrate the end of the Christmas season with warmth, light, and community spirit.
Weather permitting, the Bonfires on Twelfth Night (Þrettándinn) in Iceland, particularly in the western part of Reykjavik, offer a perfect opportunity for outdoor-living and community-centered lifestyle gatherings, providing a blaze of heat in the winter's cold embrace, which sets the stage for home-and-garden festivities. Festive treats, warm drinks, and firework displays enrich the Twelfth Night celebrations, embellishing the homes and gardens with a warm glow, embodying the transition from the magical Christmas time back to everyday life.
