While Icelanders of all economic classes love the smoked lamb meat equally, the same cannot be said for all political parties.
A new survey from Market and Media Research shows that 71% of all Icelanders plan to eat hangikjöt – smoked lamb meat – for their Christmas dinner this year.
Men and women enjoy hangikjöt in equal proportions, as do Icelanders from the poor to the very rich. Senior citizens (68 years and older) enjoy hangikjöt slightly more than the national average, at 75%, but in almost every other demographic, most Icelanders fell on or near the national average regarding how many plan to have hangikjöt for Christmas.
The only exception would be when it comes to party affiliation. Voters for the Progressives are overwhelmingly in favour of hangikjöt, with 83% saying it’s on their Christmas menu. Pirate Party voters, by contrast, fell well below the national average, with only 51% planning to have it for their holiday dinner. All other parties rated close to the national average.
Hangikjöt, as well as hamborgarhryggur (a kind of smoked pork), is eaten year round, but is also a traditional part of the Icelandic Christmas dinner. Turkey, although a relatively recent arrival, does seem to be gaining ground: 22% of Pirate voters and 21% of Left-Green voters said they will be dining on the bird for Christmas.
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