Annual Christmas swim and preparing the Christmas meal together
Families can enjoy the weekend together in the Christmas Village. There's plenty to get up to, as Vala Steinsdóttir, chair of the Hafnarfjörður Parents' Council, points out.
Family moments in Hafnarfjörður
„Our family starts listening to Christmas music on Halloween, when we bake for our older daughter's birthday,“ says Vala Steinsdóttir, a mother of two and chair of the Hafnarfjörður Parents' Council and chair of the Setbergsskóli Parents' Association.
Vala has always lived in Hafnarfjörður, and her husband, Þorsteinn Már Þorsteinsson, has done so since the age of six, apart from a period of nearly fourteen years in England and then the Netherlands, where their daughters were born. Upon their return, the family reorganised their Christmas traditions.
„We love to spend Christmas Eve together, the family in the kitchen. Everyone has a role to play. But first, we go for a Christmas swim at Ásvallalaug,“ she says. „We really enjoy preparing the meal together, listening to Christmas songs and singing along, keeping ourselves busy. It's our day together.“
She says the Advent season offers a chance for wonderful moments in Hafnarfjörður. „I'm so grateful for how much life and joy there is during Advent in Hafnarfjörður. It reminds us that this is a community,“ says Vala.
The highlight of the Advent get-together
- Hellisgerði – „So magically beautiful and lovely to stroll around with the family and have some hot chocolate. It's great fun to see what new addition is in the garden each year.“
- The Christmas Village and Christmas concerts at Thorsplan – „We try to go to the great events that are organised in the town. It's great to see everyone and meet up with family and friends.“
- Heart swelling – „Let's check out the Heart Slope, which is a great addition to the Christmas cheer. Then we'll go out for a meal.“
- Let's walk around the town – Let's see the Christmas tree on the Cliff, the Christmas windows in the old Lækjarskóli and look at all the beautifully decorated houses.„
- The churchyard – „Let us go to the graves in the churchyard and remember those who have left us and this earthly life.“
Vala and Thorsteinn with their daughters Álfhildur Edda and Eygló and their dog Loki. They live in Svöluhrauni; the younger daughter attends Setbergsskóli while the elder one has started at Kvennó. Photos/Óli Már
Hafnarfjörður Christmas Magazine 2024 – online edition: