Icelanders celebrate end of Christmas with Elf bonfires

The Thirteenth celebrated in Húsavík, North Iceland.

The Thirteenth celebrated in Húsavík, North Iceland. mbl.is/Hafþór Hreiðarsson

Yesterday marked the epiphany, Twelfth Night,  the end of Christmas which in Iceland is celebrated in a somewhat pagan fashion. 

The date is called Þrettándinn (The Thirteenth) in Icelandic and folklore tells of strange things happening on that night such as speaking cows, elf celebrations and the appearance of trolls. 

It is also the night that the last of the Yule lads, Kertasníkir, leaves for the mountains, reappearing only for next Christmas. 

The photographers of our sister publication mbl.is took the accompanying photographs from around Iceland. 

A bonfire at Ægissíða in Reykjavik.

A bonfire at Ægissíða in Reykjavik. mbl.is/Árni Sæberg

Celebrations in the Westman Islands.

Celebrations in the Westman Islands. mbl.is/Óskar Pétur Friðriksson

Celebrations in Hafnarfjörður.

Celebrations in Hafnarfjörður. mbl.is/Eggert Jóhannesson

Twelfth night celebrations in Akureyri, North Iceland.

Twelfth night celebrations in Akureyri, North Iceland. mbl.is/Skapti Hallgrímsson

Weather

Clear sky

Today

5 °C

Partly cloudy

Tomorrow

1 °C

Clear sky

Sunday

-1 °C

Warning: Yellow More