Christmas

Outside my window it's a Christmas scene straight from a greetings card: a good cover of glistening snow, twinkling fairy lights and brooding winter twilight.

This weekend I made one of my annual Christmas shopping trips and for some reason I always have such mixed feelings. I resent the corruption of Christmas into a reatial-fest, of course, and as an atheist I see no point in celebrating the festival.

Iceland does Christmas rather nicely, I think it's fair to say. Since I've been here I've started to resent it less and actually enjoy it. Being with my Icelandic family, relaxing together and seeing the pleasure it brings to the children makes it worthwhile.

I've always felt that an end-of-year celebration is a very valid excuse for fesitivity and as such have always felt that New Year's Eve holds much more significance for me. Fortunately, the Icelanders know how to celebrate it with style.

I still have more shopping and planning to do, and no doubt won't be able to relax until it's completely done, but the feeling of being here is so much more mellow and less retail-manic than being in somewhere like the UK or USA.

I could rant for ages about the joys of Icelandic Christmas, but a few gems spring to mind:

The sale of trees and fireworks is organised by the rescue teams, and they benefit directly from it. It's nice to know that one's money goes to a good cause, rather than some evil capitalist empire.

Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and just about all social events involving children are generally alcohol-free, which is a welcome change from the traditions of my home land.

People are much happier here than in my home land, and the retail pressure is much less.

I think I can say I'm actually looking forward to the Christmas break now. I find it a little surprising. It will be a welcome break from the recent feeling of my life being like Groundhog Day.