Icelandic customs and etiquette

The Republic of Iceland is an island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, located between Greenland and the United Kingdom, and its capital, Reykjavik. Iceland is also the second largest island country in Europe, with an area of 103,106 million square kilometers and a population of 258,000. Two-thirds of the population lives along the southwest coast, especially in the capital Reykjavik, where 46% of the population is concentrated. 99% of the country's residents are Icelanders, and there are also a small number of Danes, Germans, Americans, etc. Icelandic is the official language. The vast majority of Iceland's residents are Christian, accounting for 97% of the country's total population. Iceland also has parishes, with a total of 203 parishes and churches across the country. Today, Iceland is a highly developed country, with the world's fifth largest per capita GDP and the world's first human development index.

The following editor will give you a detailed introduction to various customs and taboos in Iceland: Funeral

In Iceland, when people get married, they must first go to a church for a religious wedding ceremony. The wedding was presided over by clergy and the atmosphere was solemn and sacred. The bride and groom held hands side by side and accepted people's blessings. The wedding ended amid cheers from the people. Icelanders attach great importance to the funeral of the elderly after the death of them, and hold grand memorial services, some lasting for several days.

Main taboos

In Iceland, men generally do not participate casually in discussions in women's circles. When interacting with women, avoid asking about their age and joking with them. Most Icelanders believe in Christianity and avoid the 13th and Friday. They do not hold important activities on the 13th and cannot have 13 people eating at the same table.

diet

Icelanders eat pasta and rice as their staple foods. Due to their rich fishery resources, various fish often become delicacies on the table. Icelanders are hospitable. When guests come, they always bring out the best food for guests to taste. If it is a formal banquet, invitations will usually be sent out and the time and place will be written clearly. They don't eat animals that die of themselves.

social etiquette

No matter what occasion they are on, Icelanders always like to keep their backs straight when standing. In Iceland, if you call someone over, you usually gesture with your palm up, and if you say goodbye, you gesture with your palm down. They hate bad behavior such as pulling up pants in public.

Meeting etiquette

To call Icelandic men, add the word pine after their father's name, and to women, add dotir after their father's name. When meeting Icelanders, shake hands. Shake hands should be generous, do not nod or bow, or put one hand in your pocket. At friends 'homes or general social occasions, when you don't know each other and buy each other, you can take the initiative to introduce yourself to each other. It is advisable for the two sides to be about 1.2 meters apart during the conversation.

business etiquette

Icelanders pay attention to timeliness in business activities and avoid procrastination. In their view, failing to make an appointment is rude, and not being punctual is a sign of lack of credibility. Therefore, if you cannot make your appointment on time for some reason, you should inform the other party as soon as possible and apologize. If you are late for some reason, apologize to the host and other people present. When you hand over your business card, you can add something like asking for more attention. When giving gifts, the more exotic and distinctive the gift is, the more popular it is. Don't refuse a gift back.

tourism

Some people say that when traveling in Iceland, you can't find that feeling anywhere else. The air in the capital Reykjavik is clear, and the city of Akureyri is backed by snowy mountains. When lodging here, you should have complete credentials, keep a tape recorder in the hotel, and the volume should not be too loud when watching TV. In Iceland, it is insulting to tip waiters.

clothing

The climate in Iceland is cold and the climate in many places is unpredictable, so people like to wear coats, and masks and scarves are generally worn. When meeting foreign guests, attending dances and banquets, if the weather is warmer, wear traditional social gowns or dark suits. Women pay attention to the art of dress and makeup, and like to wear expensive fur overcoats. When entering and exiting social occasions, they must comb their hair skillfully and wear headdresses of inspected materials.

Icelanders are fed up with the continuous winter and have an infinite love for the sun. In June and July every year, the sun often shines at midnight, just like daytime, so that you can read and write. In winter, the opposite is true. Sometimes the sun is not seen all day long, but the moon is in the head. Icelanders have had the habit of reading since then. Every winter, when the night is long, people will read and study in the house. Iceland is a country with a high cultural level.

The unique natural conditions make Iceland known as the "four things": many volcanoes, many hot springs, many waterfalls and many fish. The capital, Reykjavik, is known as a "smoke-free city", and residential heating equipment uses underground hot springs. Due to the low average annual temperature, long winters, and few trees on the streets, houses in the urban area are mostly painted red, green and green to beautify the city. For Icelandic men,"SOn" is added after their father's name, and for women,"daughter" is added after their father's name.

Iceland, a small Nordic country, has a far lower status than that of women. Women's rights are high, and even the president is a heroine. Iceland can be said to be a country of daughters. Eighty percent of women go out to earn a living and do not rely on men to support them. Iceland's Women's Party holds a certain number of seats in Parliament and exerts important political influence, setting a precedent in Europe. In Iceland, men generally do not casually participate in discussions in women's circles. When contacting women, they should avoid asking about their age and joking with them. The average life expectancy of Icelandic women is as high as 80.2 years, ranking first in the world.

Women's rights in Iceland have not been noble since today. According to the country's tradition, married women never take their husband's surname but have their own independent identity.

In October last year, women held a 48-hour strike in order to show their important position in society, paralyzing the country. Women here have the courage to express their wishes through naked parades and strive for some social welfare. The participants in the annual "Weidi Parade" are all women, generally under the age of 40, and most of them are naked or semi-naked.

Protests against the use of animal skins to make clothes were one of the themes of a naked march for women in Iceland. It usually happens twice a year, once every Midsummer Day and once every Polar Night. Women, including young girls and elderly people over 50 years old, stood almost naked on the streets to appeal.

Strangely enough, Icelanders are legally prohibited from being naked in their homes.