Buy Shit: Lace, Liquorice, Ginger and Hanskies

Souvenirs that won’t make your entire suitcase smell like hardfiskur.

Virki Lace Collar
This 1800s-retro accessory is carefully constructed from vintage doilies, tablecloth and lace by Virki. Each one is handmade in Iceland, and they’re available in limited numbers. Not in Reykjavík? No problem. You can buy it on the Reykjavík Cornerstore website, shipping worldwide. Throw one on over your outfit to add a fancy antique vibe.

Draumur Chocolate Liquorice
Sweet chocolate. Salty liquorice. Each one is great by itself, but combined they’re elevated into a particularly Icelandic confectionary classic. Draumur literally means “dream,” and they’re not exaggerating with the name. You can grab a handful of these in pretty much much any Reykjavík store—extra points if you find one that didn’t disintegrate in the wrapper.

Ginger & Wheatgrass Shots
One of the many ways in which Iceland is a country of contradictions is its love of both junk food and health food. For every Domino’s, you’ll also see a Heilsuhúsið, and it’s here that you can top yourself up with a juice shot. The ginger shot burns all the way down in a way that definitely feels like it’s doing you some good. The wheatgrass is a bit more mellow, but just as intense. You could also ask the staff to whip them up into a fresh smoothie.

Hanskie Beer Mitten
As Game of Thrones has been telling us for seven long seasons, Winter Is Coming. Winter, however, doesn’t stop Icelanders from doing outdoor things, whether it’s cross-country skiing, eating ice cream in the frozen sub zero streets, or barbecuing in an insane act of seasonal denial. Get a Hanskie Beer Mitten for the latter, so you can drink away your seasonal depression with a warm hand, at least.

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