January 1, 2006
The nation of Iceland, like most of the world, revels in New Year’s Eve celebrations. Fireworks are legal in the country and all citizens are permitted to use them. This results in a sky of light and color from about 8pm up until (typically) midnight. Between 10:30pm and 11:30pm, the fireworks take a break as the nation watches the Icelandic TV comic show “Áramótaskaupið – Skaupið” – a satire display that recaps the year that was. One of the best places to see the fireworks from in Reykjavik (the capital of Iceland) is the Öskjuhlíð hill. There, you can take in the whole city’s fireworks and even some from the neighboring cities. Another Icelandic New Year tradition is the lighting of bonfires. At least 10 official fires are lit in Reykjavik and there are up to 90 in the country on the night.
