Knitting for Christmas 2025

This year, for various reasons, I unfortunately haven't gotten around to knitting Christmas presents as much as I would have liked.

First, I was on the Norröna and the Crime Cruise to Iceland and back in early November (although I had my knitting with me and at least managed to do a bit of knitting!), then I had dental problems, which turned out to be a result of my shoulder problems after my terrace fall in Iceland in the summer, afterwards I caught influenza A from my grandchild and was completely out of action at first... somehow, everything was going wrong!

But at least two Santa Claus sweaters as a gift for the offspring and a Santa Claus pot holder I did manage it for a friend after all – and on the first day of Christmas at noon, mine happened Christmas Slá (poncho) just managed to finish at the last minute...

Christmas sweater for the kids

I do like to knit for all my loved ones, and I also really enjoy knitting for my grandchild - however, the grandchild finds Icelandic sheep wool a bit scratchy and always has to wear something underneath. So this year I made her a Christmas sweater knitted out of Lopi Spuni - this is 100% merino wool, which is also sold by the Icelandic wool factory Álafoss in Mosfellsbær.

The wool has a running length of 95 meters per 50 g, so it is slightly thicker than Léttlopi wool, which has a running length of 100 meters per 50 g, but, just like Spuni, is also mostly knitted with needle sizes 4.5 to 5. So you can knit patterns for Léttlopi wool with Spuni wool as well, even though I somehow find knitted items made with Spuni to be "airier." But in return, they feel much softer and less scratchy – so perfect for the grandchild!

And while I was at it, I also knitted a Santa Claus sweater for my middle son, practically in a 'matching look,' only in dark and light blue instead of pink.

In the pictures, you can see how the pink sweater was created first; I then knitted the blue sweater, among other things, while traveling on the Norröna. The one photo of the child and grandchild wearing it is by the photographer – in the other picture from behind, my husband is wearing the Christmas sweater on behalf of our son. But I also like the picture – and the Christmas sweaters anyway!

A Christmas potholder with Santa Clauses

Besides, I at least still knitted a potholder for a friend for Christmas, in beige and white, with three Santas each on the front and back.

Unfortunately, I don't have a better photo of the potholder than this one with my Laufabrauð iron - but the Christmas present was well received by my girlfriend!

My Christmas-Slá 2025

And this here is my own new Christmas shawl, so my 'shoulder warmer' - knitted from black Icelandic Léttlopi wool and other wool, gold with glitter. I took the golden glitter wool double, then the yardage of the wool at 100 g corresponded approximately to the yardage of Léttlopi wool.

Somehow I was running behind schedule - I finished knitting on the afternoon of the first Christmas holiday, about 5 minutes before the first people arrived for Christmas dinner. Afterwards, my husband wondered why the crochet hook was still lying in the kitchen next to the sink - but I had actually already crocheted off and cut the last threads!

But anyway, it was enough - I was able to wear my golden Christmas Slá on the first day of Christmas!

Translated from here.

Dagur íslenskrar tungu

November 16th - Day of the Icelandic Language

Since 1996, every year on November 16th the "Dagur íslenskrar tungu" is celebrated, the "Day of the Icelandic Language".

Goal of this special day is to remind people of the relevance of the Icelandic language, to take pleasure in their past and future history, and to celebrate it. Events take place in many locations, there are readings and discussion sessions.

Literature award: Verðlaun Jónasar Hallgrímssonar

Annually on this day, also the Jónas Hallgrímsson Prize is awarded, a literary award, with which special services for the Icelandic language are honored, in word and writing, in poetry, in scholarly work or teaching, or for the promotion and dissemination of the language. Previous winners are, among others, the former Icelandic president Vigdís Finnbogadóttir, who was an ambassador for languages at the United Nations, the poet and writer Steinunn Sigurðardóttir, Eiríkur Rögnvaldsson, a retired professor of Icelandic linguistics, or the Icelandic crime author Arnaldur Indridason. 

Logo for the Day of the Icelandic Language 2024,
designed by Auður Ýr Elísabetardóttir

November 16th - the birthday of Jónas Hallgrímsson

The "Day of the Icelandic Language" goes back to an initiative of the Icelandic Minister of Education from autumn 1995. The government decided to use November 16th for this purpose.

November 16th is the birthday of Jónas Hallgrímsson (1807 - 1845).

Jónas Hallgrímsson was one of the most important poets of Iceland. He was a naturalist and poet, writer and translator, as well as one of the founders of "Fjölnir", a nationally oriented  magazine for Icelandic literature and language.

In addition, Jónas Hallgrímsson created more than 200 neologisms, i.e., he developed new Icelandic words, especially in the field of natural sciences - e.g. aðdráttarafl (attractive force), tunglmyrkvi (lunar eclipse) or rafmagn (electricity).

Flag day

Since 2008, November 16th is also one of the 12 Icelandic flag days. On these special days, the Icelandic flags on all public buildings in Iceland are hoisted up, from 7 a.m. until sunset, but at the latest until midnight (in summer).

Translated from here.

Ofnbakaður lax með sýrðum rjóma

Oven-baked salmon with sour cream

I really love fresh salmon – and as a simple, quick dish baked in the oven with fresh vegetables, I love fresh salmon especially!

Therefore, a recipe like this for oven-baked salmon with leeks and sour cream is the perfect everyday cuisine for me - even if I then at least prepare something else as an alternative for my youngest child, because someone here actually does not like to eat fish...

Ingredients for 4 servings

800 g salmon

200 g sour cream or crème fraîche

3 Tbsp sweet mustard

1 Tbsp brown sugar

1 - 2 stalks of leek

2 Tbsp of breadcrumbs

salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 180 °C top and bottom heat.

Place the salmon in an ovenproof dish and season with salt and pepper.

Wash the leek, clean it, and cut it into thin slices.

Then distribute the leeks over the salmon.

In a small bowl, stir the sour cream with the mustard and the brown sugar and spread over the salmon.

Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the sour cream sauce.

Then bake the salmon in the preheated oven at 180 °C top and bottom heat for about 20 minutes.

Serve the fish with potatoes and/or salad to taste.

Translated from here.

Vanillu smákökur

Vanilla cookies

Someone had a birthday here this weekend, and we celebrated with the whole family. The birthday girl's request was a cheesecake. But just a cheesecake was somehow too boring for me. So I went all out with the "vanilla" theme – I made a vanilla unicorn cake with colorful cream cheese frosting, added a bit of decoration, and I had a pretty sweet themed cake. I love things like that!

And to make sure everyone is fed, I also cut out a batch of plain vanilla cookies for the 7th birthday, baked them, and then decorated them colorfully with vanilla icing and sprinkles.

I'll definitely use the vanilla cookie recipe again for Christmas, but with different cookie cutters!

Ingredients

300 g wheat flour

130 g sugar

1 tsp vanilla sugar or similar

1 tsp baking powder

90 g margarine

70 g light syrup

50 ml milk

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350 °F (180 °C) (upper/lower heat).

In a large bowl, mix flour, sugar, vanilla and baking powder.

First add the soft margarine and mix, ...

...then add the syrup and milk.

Knead the dough thoroughly, adding more flour if the dough is still sticky.

Knead thoroughly into a smooth dough.

Roll out the dough in portions on a floured surface with a rolling pin and cut out the cookies as desired, ...

...until the last bit of dough is used up.

Place the cookies on a baking sheet lined with baking paper...

... and bake in the preheated oven on the middle shelf at 350 °F (180 °C) (upper and lower heat) for about 8 to 10 minutes, until the cookies are golden brown.

If you like, you can decorate the cookies afterwards with icing, colorful sprinkles, etc.

In this sense:

Bon appetit!

[Translated from here.]

Eplaskyr

Apple Skyr

Apple trees don't actually grow in Iceland. In the past, apples were therefore something very special, expensive, and had to be imported. Apples were perhaps a great luxury at Christmas. Therefore, many older Icelanders still associate the scent of apples with Christmas.

Today, you can basically buy apples in stores all year round, so they have become an integral part of many Icelandic dishes.

Here's my first autumn recipe for you: a quick, easy dessert – vanilla skyr with apple compote and chopped nuts. It's so simple and delicious; my husband and kids were absolutely thrilled to lick the very last bits out of their glasses at dinner.

Ingredients for 4 glasses

350 g apple compote
450 g vanilla skyr

60 g sugar

1 tsp vanilla sugar, ground vanilla, vanilla paste or similar.

whipped cream

chopped nuts

Preparation

In a large bowl, combine the sugar with the vanilla sugar, ground vanilla, vanilla paste, or similar. (I mixed the sugar with some vanilla paste and some ground vanilla.)

Stir in the vanilla skyr.

Finally, add the apple compote and mix with a spoon.

Pour the apple-skyr mixture into dessert glasses or similar.

Before serving, garnish to taste with whipped cream and chopped nuts, brittle, or similar.

Bon appetit!

[Translated from here.]

Brauðterta með ostasalati

Bread cake with cheese salad

What the Swedes have with their "smörgåstårta", the Icelanders have with their "brauðterta".

In Iceland, you can traditionally find such hearty bread cakes with mayonnaise, lots of mayonnaise and even more mayonnaise among sweet pastries on many cake buffets.

Depending on your mood, the bread cakes can be topped with ham, salami, hangikjöt, salmon, crab... whatever you like!

Here's a version with various cheeses and grapes. This recipe is intended as a starter for four people, or as a main course for two.

Ingredients for 4 servings

4 slices of toast

1/2 Camembert (ca. 150 g)

1/2 garlic cheese (ca. 75 g)

1/2 pepper cheese (ca. 75 g)

1 bell pepper

1/2 red onion

approx. 20 grapes

1 handful of fresh parsley

200 ml sour cream (18%)

150 ml mayonnaise

Decorate with tomatoes, parsley, ...

Preparation

Chop the various cheeses, peppers, onions and grapes.

Wash the parsley and chop it finely.

In a small bowl, mix sour cream and mayonnaise, then set aside 1/3 of the mixture for dressing

Put the remaining cream with the cheese, vegetables, grapes and parsley into a large bowl and mix thoroughly

Cut the crust off the toast...

...and layer the salad so that you end up with four slices of bread with three layers of lettuce between them. Wrap the whole thing tightly in aluminum foil or something similar and let it chill in the refrigerator for about 2-3 hours.

Then cover the bread cake with the remaining sour cream and mayonnaise mixture and decorate with parsley, grapes, etc. as desired.

Bon appetit!

[Translated from here.]