Thank you for a wonderful 2023 Christmas season!

Thanks for your contribution. Thanks for your time. Thanks for the fun. Thank you!

Christmas was formally greeted farewell in the Christmas town of Hafnarfjörður during a crowded and successful Thirteenth celebration (Þrettándinn). The staff of Hafnarfjarðarbær would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone wholeheartedly for the warm and lovely fellowship during this past Christmas season, with great thanks for their participation, unique Christmas spirit and Christmas cheer.

The Christmas Village in Hafnarfjörður

The Christmas adventure in Hafnarfjörður began with the Christmas Village in 2003 and celebrated its twentieth anniversary last year. Over the years, the Christmas Village has stamped itself as a nationally known and popular event and sales venue for various gift items, delicious delicacies, crafts and design, and this year fewer vendors received a space in a Christmas sales booth than wanted to. The Christmas village was open every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from November the 17th until December the 23rd. The Christmas Village is constantly evolving and there is always something new, different and exciting happening there. This year with the new addition of “experience houses” at Thorsplan and Grýluhellir! Thousands of visitors visited the Christmas Village this year, which has to be considered spectacular.

The ice rink– over 4,000 people skated in the heart of Hafnarfjörður

From November the 10th until December the 23rd the Heart of Hafnarfjörður ice skating rink was open, a collaboration between Hafnarfjarðarbær and Bæjarbíó. The ice skating rink is a 200 square metre ice rink for young people of all ages, that was first opened on Advent in 2021, with great success. The ice rink was located in front of Bæjarbíó and Hafnarfjörður´s Library, midway between the Christmas village in the center of town and the glory of lights in Hellisgerði. Many guests came and enjoyed the company of friends and relatives skating in the heart of Hafnarfjörður this year, or more than 4,000 people.

Best Decorated Houses and Businesses of 2023

At the beginning of December, Hafnafjörður´s inhabitants and other interested parties were encouraged to put on their Christmas glasses and send in a nominations about those who were deemed to have the best Christmas decorations of the season. Five private residences received recognition this year for their ambitious and beautiful Christmas decorations that enhanced the beauty of the houses themselves and gave the streetscapes a beautiful Christmas feel. Andrea by Andrea received recognition for a beautiful Christmas window in front of her shop in the centre of Hafnarfjörður, KFC for festive and stylish decoration that filled the street with true Christmas cheer and the Hafnarfjörður Music School for beautiful decoration in a window, by a popular street.

Hafnarfjörður´s Christmas magazine 2023: Christmas town of Hafnarfjörður

Hafnarfjörður´s Christmas magazine has been in publication for five years now and is published the same week that the Christmas village opens each year. The sole purpose of the Christmas magazine is to introduce the Christmas town of Hafnarfjörður to all interested, and to shed light on the warmth and diversity that lives with the people and businesses here in Hafnarfjörður. This publication has been successful and is available electronically all year round. Christmas Edition 2023

Festive lights in Hellisgerði until February

The lights in Hellisgerði will shine brightly until February. Thousands of residents and friends of Hafnarfjörður have enjoyed bathing in the wonderous lights in the park this Christmas season, as they have for the past years. Thousands of visitors made their way through the park this Christmas, enjoying the outdoors and experiences with family and friends. The café in Hellisgerði, Litla Álfabúðin, was open, along with the opening hours of the Christmas village, where you could buy fragrant coffee and cocoa, many kinds of exciting teas, cakes and baked goods. The glory of lights in Hellisgerði will live on beyond the Winter Festival, which will be held from the 1st to 3rd of February, and will take place in all municipalities in the capital area. This festival of light and darkness consists of three main pillars: Museum Night, Swimming Pool Night and Light Art with over 150 events in the capital area, where a large number of artists participate in creating a unique atmosphere in the city. More on that later!