Today is Bóndadagur, or Husband’s Day, when wives and girlfriends in Iceland pamper their men. Bóndadagur also marks the beginning of the old Icelandic month of Þorri, during which Þórrablót mid-winter feasts are held across the country.

In many households, Bóndadagur is celebrated by eating the traditional Þorri food: dried fish, smoked lamb, putrefied shark and soured blood and liver pudding, along with other soured meat products, including ram testicles. The delicacies are often washed down with a shot or two of brennivín, Icelandic schnapps.

As reported last week, early sales of soured meats had been slow this year. “More people are buying fresh meat instead of soured meat. Fresh lamb steaks are really popular—sales have really increased in volume, but slátur, briskets and lundabaggar [pickled rolls of lamb flanks] have hardly sold,” restaurateur Ole Olesen at South Iceland catering company Veisluþjónusta Suðurlands told Morgunblaðið.

According to Olesen, there is a lot of competition between stores and customers are willing to wait longer to pick up their food even if the price is only slightly lower.

As for gifts on Bóndadagur, flowers are a popular option, but even more so on Konudagur, or Women’s Day (February 24 this year).The flower tradition on Bóndadagur is rather new; it was largely unheard of until the 1990s.

Women also think of other ways to show appreciation to their men, take them out to a fancy dinner or prepare a nice meal at home—steak is a favored option.

Most men would likely also be happy to receive specially-brewed Þorri beer, carried by the state-run wine stores Vínbúðin at this time of year.

Click here to read more about Þórrablót and here watch an audio slideshow of the food traditionally eaten at Þorrablót.

ESA/ZR