This has been a really interesting and busy week in Iceland.
Unfortunately with the kids sick we missed out on most of it. But here are some highlights.
Monday was Buns Day. Everyone makes these cake like things that are filled with whip cream ? The kids eat them all day and are all crazy hyper when it is time to go home.
Tuesday was Salty meat and bean soup day. I do not know what kind of day that is but everyone eats salty meat with bean soup and potatoes. Employers also have it served to the staff.
Wednesday is some other day that is kin of like Halloween. But it is not. There is no spider web decorations or bats. The kids do get all dressed up and go out for candy. There is no school so the kids get started around 9 a.m. They do not go to any houses but go to businesses and stores to sing for candy.
I have been told that the significance is that now you are not supposed to eat any meat until Easter.
But like I said before I did not see much of this first hand because of the flu, but next year I promise to have a more detailed description.
Yesterday is called "Ash Wednesday" and is the first day of the christian Lent, during which practicing christians are not supposed to eat meat.
ReplyDeleteThe day before that is called "sprengidagur" (literally translated: "Bursting Day" :-) and since it was the last day before the "no meat for forty days period" people had to eat as much as they could because surely any leftover meat would go bad.
Regarding the religious or otherwise symbolic significance of Bunday ("bolludagur") - I have no idea whatsoever! It always seemed a bit weird to me ... but you won't hear me complain though! ...chocolate-covered, cream-filled buns - Yum!
Actually, these two days (bolludagur and sprengidagur) are the Icelandic counterparts to Mardi Gras (French for "Fat Tuesday") and Shrove Tuesday.
The Icelandic Ash Wednesday ("Öskudagur") has become something like a cross between the American Hallowe'en and a Mardi Gras carnival; kids running around in broad daylight in mostly non-scary costumes tricking and treating down-town business-owners for candy.
Wonderfully weird traditions, if you ask me :-)
There isn't nearly that kind of scope to the Canadian Fat Tuesday and Ash Wednesday. and certainly not with kids.
ReplyDeleteBut I think we could sure use a fun day in the middle of winter right about now!