The Christmas town of Hafnarfjörður says thank you!
Now, on the Thirteenth – the thirteenth and final day of Christmas – the staff of the City of Hafnarfjörður would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank you for the warm and pleasant company during Advent and over the Christmas period. Hafnarfjörður has seldom been so festive and beautiful, and that is thanks to the concerted efforts of everyone: residents, businesses and staff. The splendour of the lights in Hellisgerði will live on for some time to come.
Now on the Thirteenth – the thirteenth and final day of Christmas – the staff of the City of Hafnarfjörður would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank you for the warm and pleasant company during Advent and over the Christmas holiday. Hafnarfjörður has seldom been so festive and beautiful, and that is thanks to the concerted efforts of everyone: residents, businesses and staff.
The splendour of the lights in Hellisgerði will live on for a while.
The splendour of the lights in Hellisgerði will live on for a while, and the same applies to the red heart that welcomes visitors at the entrance to Hellisgerði from Reykjavikurvegur. This hidden gem and pleasure garden of Hafnarfjörður has now, during Advent, firmly established itself among the nation as an attractive park for outdoor recreation, socialising and experiences with family and friends. This beautiful garden, which until now has been mainly used by the people of Hafnarfjörður, and especially during spring and summer for play and picnics, holds many stories and memories for Hafnarfjörður residents and friends of the town, and has undoubtedly created new, fond memories this Advent, both for those who knew the garden beforehand and for those experiencing it for the first time.
One on Christmas Eve – the story of Grýla and little Áróra
A lot of fun material was filmed in the garden during Advent. Including a video for the Christmas song. One on Christmas Eve – the story of Grýla and little Áróra which premiered in our Christmas Hour on the evening of Christmas Day 2020. The song tells a beautiful Christmas story that particularly appeals to children, although its message—to set aside time and love for those who are lonely at Christmas—truly resonates with everyone. The song was written by Leifur Geir Hafsteinsson, a 16-year-old from Hafnarfjörður with roots in the Westman Islands, and sung by Birgitta Haukdal along with Þórólfur Guðnason, the choir Vina og vandamanna, and children from Hafnarfjörður. The song's story is about Grýla, who is sitting alone in her cave, sad and lonely on Christmas Eve because the Yule lads have all gone back to civilisation. The story's heroine, little Áróra, feels sorry for Grýla and decides to take matters into her own hands. She marches towards the cave, pauses when she hears Grýla wailing, but plucks up courage, calls out to her, Grýla responds joyfully, they embrace as sisters and sing merrily together in a Christmas celebration. The one and only real Grýla from Hafnarfjörður, who has delighted visitors to the Christmas Village in Hafnarfjörður in recent years, is the star of the show, and the role of little Áróra is played by Brynhildur Ívarsdóttir, a pupil at Áslandskóli in Hafnarfjörður.
It is very fitting to see out the Christmas season this year with the release of this beautiful song, which was recorded entirely in Hellisgerði.
Winners of the light-hearted and clever treasure hunt in Hellisgerði
In December, a light-hearted and clever scavenger hunt was set up in Hellisgerði, which residents of Hafnarfjörður and friends of the town of all ages could take part in. Now, Grýla has stirred her cauldron and drawn out four winners, one of which is a set of sisters! The winners will receive book prizes based on their age, and they range from 5 to 14 years old. The winners have already been contacted. Grýla is absolutely delighted with the participation in the Hellisgerði scavenger hunt and sincerely thanks all the little ones and their families for taking part.
Our garden for all
Hellisgerði is a park and a shared resource for all residents of Hafnarfjörður, and it is hoped that everyone will take an active part in protecting and looking after this beautiful natural gem, and also the splendour of lights that is open to all for the coming days and weeks as the sun begins to rise higher in the sky. Enjoy!