Manners of Icelanders don’t go unnoticed with rising numbers of foreign visitors.Icelanders apparently eat very fast, draw in air through the nose with a slight noise (to swallow the mucus) and pick their teeth openly at the table. Those are some of the bad habits that foreigners have noted when visiting Iceland according to Albert Eiriksson on the morning radio program Bitid, on Bylgjan radio. Eiriksson is somewhat of an authority on etiquettes and he went trough some of the bad manners of Icelanders and came up with possible theories as to their origins along with Bitid’s two hosts. Eirikur reassures that Icelanders are getting better and have come along way in the last ten years or so.
“It can be helpful to listen to what our foreign gests have to say about our manners” he said, “They decently notice how we openly suck up air trough our nose and in Germany this is considered extremely rude”. How ever in Germany they openly blow their noses, even at the dinner table, and that is considered rude in Iceland. He points out that the best way is to leave the table and blow your nose in private.
“We shouldn’t be to sensitive as to what people think of us, we have developed like this for a thousand years in circ*mstances that make sense here”. They talked about the volatile weathers, and farmers had to work fast, because they have to make use of the often short windows of good weather to bring in the crops for example. “Therefore Icelanders are prone to gobble up their food, their mind is on the work, and they needed to take in the nourishment fast and efficiently in the olden days”. Icelanders also don’t seem to hesitate to reach around the dinner table “…they find it rude to interrupt people to ask for a hand over when things are with in their own reach, even if they have to reach a bit over their table partners. We also very openly pick our teeth in front of other people” This is considered very rude, the correct way to do it is to lay the left hand over the mouth and pick your teeth discreetly with your right hand. “I find that rude as well” he went on “the best way is just not to pick your teeth in public at all, endure during dinner and go and pick your teeth in private when you have the chance”
He also pointed out that there are things that seem rude and unhygienic to us when we travel abroad, for example to use our outdoor shoes indoors. That is considered rude in Iceland; guests should leave their outdoor shoes at the front door and wear socks indoors.
These people were primarily of Norwegian, Irish or Gaelic Scottish origin. The Irish and the Scottish Gaels were either slaves or servants of the Norse chiefs, according to the Icelandic sagas, or descendants of a "group of Norsem*n who had settled in Scotland and Ireland and intermarried with Gaelic-speaking people".
don't go unnoticed with rising numbers of foreign visitors. Icelanders apparently eat very fast, draw in air through the nose with a slight noise (to swallow the mucus) and pick their teeth openly at the table.
Perhaps the most important piece of Iceland etiquette for visitors to remember is the 'leave no trace' rule, which means that you leave natural areas as you found them.
If you are used to dining in other Nordic countries and in Europe, then dining in Iceland should not present any problems at all. Wrists should be resting on the table while keeping hands visible and the fork should be held in the left hand while the knife is held in the right.Throwing away food is frowned upon.
Hugs and kisses are mostly reserved for close connections and family members. When meeting someone for the first time, address them by their first name, as Icelanders do not typically use formal titles or surnames in social interactions. "Hæ" (hello), "Bless" (goodbye) and "Takk" (thank you).
For clothes to wear in Reykjavik or a simple walk in the town, jeans are fine, but you may find yourself getting chilly. If you are hiking, jeans can get wet and the strong winds can make them quite dangerous. A pair of thermals will work great because they are comfier and will keep you very warm.
The Icelanders that I grew up with and the ones I'm still friends with aren't exactly friendly in an outgoing way but are always polite and helpful to strangers. A lot of Icelandic people don't say “hello” or “hi” to strangers or even make eye contact. They just put their eyes straight ahead and walk on by.
As well as being open-hearted and kind, Icelandic people are consistently rated as the happiest in the world! That happiness translates into how locals treat each other and how they welcome the many seasonal visitors. Most Icelanders are non-judgemental, laid back, and down to earth.
Please is a complex thing to translate into Icelandic as the language doesn't have a direct translation. But “Vinsamlegast”, pronounced “vin-saam-leh-gast”, is used to politely ask for or request something if you wish to be polite in Iceland.
No matter where you go, remember that the place you are visiting is someone else's home. The people who live there should always be treated with respect and dignity. Listen to the locals and be mindful of their culture. Respect extends to how we act online too.
Wait to begin eating until everyone is seated and served. Use proper utensils to eat, and cut your food into bite-sized pieces. Ask your neighbor to pass an item on the table rather than reaching across their plate to get it. Chew with your mouth closed, and don't talk with food in your mouth.
The main components of a typical Icelandic breakfast include eggs, bacon, sausages, and skyr. Skyr is a traditional Icelandic yogurt that is high in protein and low in fat. It is often served with brown sugar, berries, or cream. Another popular dish is oatmeal or hafragrautur, which is made with rolled oats and milk.
The most common greeting heard in Iceland is “Góðan daginn”, which translates to “good day” in English. This phrase is pronounced “go-than-n die-in” and is a polite and friendly way to greet people around Iceland.
In general, the dress code in Icelandic restaurants is quite casual. Most places won't require formal attire, but if you don't want to stick out, the unofficial dress code tends to be more "smart casual" than strictly formal.
Yes, you can wear jeans in Iceland. The summer and shoulder seasons are especially good times to travel in your most comfortable pair. If you plan to go on an adventurous excursion, we recommend wearing the appropriate, activewear clothing.
Iceland's customs laws prevent you from bringing certain items into the country in order to protect Iceland and its environment, including narcotics and dangerous drugs, uncooked meat and various meat productions, uncooked milk and eggs, various weapons, finely powdered snuff and moist snuff to be used orally.
The Icelandic nature is beautiful but potentially dangerous. The people there are not dangerous though, so it is perfectly safe to walk around in the cities alone at night. Yes, it's true. Iceland is one of the safest (if not the safest) countries in the world.
Iceland has a vast plethora of superstitions relating to everything from sheep to knitting in winter. If you move into a new home, bring bread and salt so that your home will never lack food. But don't accept a gift of a knife, these must always be bought otherwise your relationship could encounter bad luck.
Introduction: My name is Allyn Kozey, I am a outstanding, colorful, adventurous, encouraging, zealous, tender, helpful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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