RVK Newscast #143: Icelandic Christmas Trees and Covid Numbers

Welcome back to Reykjavík Grapevine’s Newscast! Join journalist Josie Anne as we explore beautiful Hafnarfjörður and talk about what’s going on in Iceland.

The big news this week is Covid. Iceland experienced a record-breaking day of Covid numbers last week, with 167 domestically diagnosed cases. The vast majority were outside of quarantine. As a result, many restrictions have been reimposed, including mask wearing and social distancing.
Read more HERE.

Another story that has been getting a slightly surprising amount of discussion has been the decision of the town council of Akureyri to ban the free movement of cats in the municipality, starting from the beginning of January 2025. The Veterinary Society of Iceland has come out against Akureyri’s controversial ban, but many people believe it is a good idea to protect bird life.
Read more HERE.

And finally, we chat to Stefàn from the Forestry Service of Hafnarfjörður (Skógræktarfélag Hafnarfjarðar) to learn about Icelandic Christmas trees, and discuss some Icelandic Christmas traditions.

Want to be in with the chance of wining a box of Icelandic Christmas goodies—and a branch of Christmas tree to get the scent of Icelandic Christmas? You can do so by signing up for our newsletter before 1500 Icelandic time on Friday 12th November and answering the following question:

Which ONE of these is NOT the name of one of the 13 legendary Yule Lads?
a) Gluggagægir = Window Peeper
b) Hurðaskellir = Door Slammer
c) Kertasníkir = Candle Beggar
d) Pönnusleikir = Pan Licker

The sign up link is here.

Just want the box? You can buy it from direct from our shop, here.

The newscast is made possible with the help of our friends at Einstök Beer

Note: Due to the effect the Coronavirus is having on tourism in Iceland, it’s become increasingly difficult for the Grapevine to survive. If you enjoy our content and want to help the Grapevine’s journalists do things like eat and pay rent, please consider joining our High Five Club.

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