Tuesday, November 21, 2006

In my country the days we celebrate are... Iceland

Since Icelandic state religion is Lutheran Christianity we in Iceland we celebrate the traditional Christian holidays like Christmas and Easter.

Christmas are celebrated for three days in Iceland all shops and businesses are closed from around 4 o’clock on the Day before Christmas (des 24) and till the morning on Second day of Christmas (Des 26). In Iceland we open gifts on Christmas Eve (Des. 24) after eating fancy Christmas dinner, the official Christmas holiday starts at six o’clock that night. On Christmas day we tend to take it easy enjoy the company of Family and friends. Second day of Christmas is just like a normal Sunday most movie theatres; restaurants and other such leisure businesses are open.
Schools close two weeks around Christmas and New Year. All businesses close around 4-6 o’clock on Last day of the year and most of them and other business are closed through New Years day.

Easter weekend is from Good Friday (all businesses is closed) to the Second of Easter (Monday) but most businesses that are normally open on Saturdays are open this Saturday.
Schools are closed for a week around Easter.

Other holidays we celebrate are:

Ascension Day (40 days after Easter)
First day of summer (first Thursday after April 18th)
Independence Day June 17
Whitsuntide weekend (50 days after Easter Sunday. Most businesses are closed through Monday)
Commercial workers weekend (The first weekend in august most businesses are closed through Monday. This weekend was invented to give shop clerks a long weekend to make up for days that they have to work when others got a day off but Ironically the weekend evolved over time so that the only people working this weekend last few years are shop clerks.)

4 Comments:

Blogger Rebelde said...

I'm sorry I'm so clueless but your independence day got my attention... independence from whom?

11:27 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Indipendence from the Danish Kingdom in 1944 :) Not so long ago !

2:11 PM  
Blogger Jock said...

Very recent...

3:02 PM  
Blogger cole edwards said...

I LOvE that you celebrate a season...the first day of summer. that sounds like a holiday about possiblities, friends and fun, warmth, carefree days, bare feet and long sunny days.

That is the best reason I can think of to celebrate. I love Iceland.
xx

12:10 AM  

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