Icelandic communities abroad are often particularly ambitious about celebrating Þorrablót, the Icelandic mid-winter feast. A couple may dress up in national costumes and offer guests a bite of putrefied shark and a shot of brennivín (Icelandic schnapps) when they arrive.

The venue is usually decorated with Icelandic flags and other national themes, like from Norse mythology. In Iceland, such parties are held to celebrate Þorrablót too, but many prefer having their mid-winter feast at home.

A traditional menu may consist of hangikjöt, smoked lamb with boiled potatoes, green peas, red cabbage, apples and uppstúfur, a sweet white sauce. If available, the dish is served with the traditional Christmas bread laufabraud and Christmas ale (a mixture of orange soda and malt).

While most people fancy smoked lamb, súrmatur, soured lamb products, are not to everyone’s liking. They can be bought ready-to-eat in special trays and buckets at supermarkets.

Súrmatur includes soured blood and liver pudding, ram testicles, sheep-head jelly, brisket and lundabaggi, a roll of secondary meats.

Also eaten at Þorrablót is putrefied shark and buttered dried fish. A traditional type of bread served alongside the Þorri dinner is flatkaka, a special Icelandic rye flatbread.