As most people stayed up late on New Year’s Eve in Iceland (and quite a few are hung over), people like to spend most of the day in bed on January 1, or at least sleep until noon.
Photo by Páll Kjartansson.
For those not keen on being lazy the entire day, skiing or sledging is a popular alternative, provided there is sufficient snow for such activities.
In the evening it is time to celebrate the first day of the New Year. The immediate family usually has dinner at home, which might consist of fish rather than meat, as meat is eaten almost every day during the Christmas holidays. Salmon is a popular choice.
The evening news features a story about the first baby born in Iceland in the New Year.
Although January 6 is officially the last day of Christmas, the working holiday is over on January 2.
