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Know Your Yule Lad Basics: We Keep Getting Older, Yule Lads Stay The Same Age
In 2005, we were a struggling publication, and we decided to take a leap and detail the unique Icelandic Christmas tradition of Grýla, Leppalúði, and their children, the Yule Lads. Little did we know that our explanation of the characters from Jóhannes…
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Children Of Nature: Norse Paganism’s Comeback
An ancient way of life is having a moment right now. Why? Spend any amount of time in Iceland, and you are going to be reminded of the country’s pagan heritage. Frequently. This may come in overt, conscious choices such as putting…
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Falcon Enjoys Life Of Luxury At Reykjavík Zoo
A falcon, originally from the Westfjörds and who was brought to the Reykjavík Zoo last September, is still recovering from an injured wing, a statement sent to the Grapevine details. “The bird was unable to fly normally, the cause being wing bone…
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Islanders: Þórður Ingi Jónsson, aka Lord Pusswhip
Þórður Ingi Jónsson, better known to our readers as Lord Pusswhip, has lived an exceptionally interesting life in the short number of years he’s been on the planet. From Grapevine intern to punk rocker to hip hop artist to label founder and…
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Andie Sophia’s Perfect Day In Reykjavík
Andie Sophia Fontaine is a journalist, writer, and Trans Iceland board member living in Reykjavík. Originally from Baltimore, she has lived in Iceland since 1999. She is the only openly trans journalist in Iceland, and has written for the Grapevine since 2003.…
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Track by Track: gugusar, ‘12:48’
Guðlaug Sóley Höskuldsdóttir, better known to our readers as gugusar, has just released a new album, ‘12:48.’ The young singer-songwriter has been making a great impression on the local music scene and wowed crowds at Airwaves, so we wanted to get the…
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Great Moments In Icelandic History: Police Try To Buy Machine Guns From Norway
On October 21st, 2014, Icelanders woke to the news that the Icelandic police had acquired an arsenal of MP5 machine guns and Glock 17 semiautomatics. While this might not be news in many other countries, Icelandic police are known for not carrying…
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Union Optimistic Management Will Approve Short-Term Collective Bargaining Agreement
The director of labour union Efling told RÚV that she is optimistic that Business Iceland (SA) will accept the terms of a short-term collective bargaining agreement that the union has put before them. The contract stipulates a flat-rate wage rise of 56,700…
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Mpox Cases In Iceland Declining
Epidemiologist Guðrún Aspelund tells RÚV that cases of mpox have been on the decline in Iceland. You read that correctly: mpox. The World Health Organisation has made the decision to change the name of the virus in order to reduce the stigma.…
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Person Who Leaked Video Of Mass Stabbing Fired From Police
An employee of the capital area police has been fired for leaking footage of the mass stabbing at Bankastræti Club, RÚV reports. As reported, two videos were leaked to the press, both of which were phone recordings of a computer screen. The…
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The Austurvöllur Christmas Tree Has Been Lit
Yesterday, the traditional Christmas tree of Austurvöllur square in front of Parliament–often referred to as the “Oslo tree” after its origin–was lit up yesterday, Vísir reports. This was the first time the tree was lit in the traditional manner in three years.…
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Most Icelanders Do Not Trust Government To Handle Bank Sale
The majority of respondents to a poll conducted by Maskína do not trust the government to handle the sale of Íslandsbanki, Vísir reports. As reported, Íslandsbanki has been owned by the Icelandic treasury since the wake of the 2008 financial crash, but…
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Police To Have Increased Downtown Presence This Weekend
If you go downtown this weekend, do not be surprised if you see more police officers than you might be used to seeing, assistant police chief Ásgeir Þór Ásgeirsson told Rás 2 this morning. Last week’s mass stabbing at Bankastræti Club is…
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Klapp Scanners To Be Replaced With Touch-Free Payment System
The Klappið payment scanners for capital area bus service Strætó will begin to be replaced with a scanners that offer a touch-free payment system this December, Vísir reports. The Klapp payment system began just over a year ago, with the original Strætó…
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US And UK Embassies Advise People Be “Vigilant” Downtown In Wake Of Knife Attack
Both the US and the British embassies have issued advisories to their citizens in Iceland to “be vigilant” if they happen to be in downtown Reykjavík this weekend in the wake of last weekend’s mass stabbing at Bankastræti Club, as police are…
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Video Of Mass Stabbing Likely Leaked By Someone In Police
Shortly after a group stabbing was reported at Bankastræti Club over the weekend, videos of the incident found its way to some Icelandic media outlets, some of whom shared them. The brutality of the attack has prompted Minister of Justice Jón Gunnarsson…
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Icelandic Government Pledges Funds To Support Queer Youth
An announcement from Iceland’s government offices confirms that the government has signed an agreement with the National Queer Organisation to provide 9 million ISK in funding specifically to provide education and support to queer youth and to fight against prejudice and hate…
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Justice Minister Declares “War Against Organised Crime” Amidst Downtown Violence
Following a horrifying group stabbing at Bankastræti Club over the weekend, including video of the attack that may have been leaked by someone in the police, Minister of Justice Jón Gunnarsson has “declared war against organised crime”, and a bill on expanding…
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Men Who Have Sex With Men May Soon Be Allowed To Donate Blood
Gay, bisexual, pansexual, and other men who have sex with men may be allowed to give blood after the new year, Vísir reports. This information came to light from Minister of Health Willum Þór Þórsson in response to a question from Social…
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Trans Day Of Remembrance Memorialised In Iceland
November 20th is the Trans Day of Remembrance, wherein trans people the world over honour those who lost their lives to transphobia over the past 12 months, whether to murder or suicide. Iceland was no exception, as the trans community in Reykjavík…
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Most Trust Towards Social Democrat Chair
The largest portion of respondents to a new poll from Prósent said they place the most trust in Social Democrat chair Kristrún Frostadóttir (above), Fréttablaðið reports, with 25.4% overall saying they trust her the most. In second place was Prime Minister and…
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Reykjanesbraut Road Closure Delayed Due To Weather
The temporary road closure of Reykjanesbraut–the highway between Keflavík International Aiport on the greater Reykjavík area–has been temporarily delayed due to the weather, RÚV reports. As reported, the route from the airport to Reykjavík was due to be closed until 20:00 Icelandic…
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Icelandic State Acquitted In Case Of Man Wanting Legal Name Change To “Lucifer”
Reykjavík District Court has acquitted the Icelandic state of culpability in the case of a man who was twice denied the right to change his legal name to Lúsífer by the Icelandic Naming Committee, Vísir reports. For the unfamiliar, the Icelandic Naming…
