A new map has highlighted how Christmas folklore is woven into Iceland’s geography. It reveals a wide range of festive place names scattered across the country.
The project has been compiled by the Icelandic Institute of Natural History, which gathered locations whose names are linked to Christmas traditions and characters from local folklore.
Iceland is known for its rich naming traditions, with many hills, peaks and natural features carrying distinctive titles.
According to the institute, references to trolls, the fearsome figure Grýla and other mythical beings appear frequently in place names connected to the festive season.
Christmas Table and Christmas Magic
Among the locations identified is Jólnir, an island that briefly existed south of Surtsey after volcanic activity in the 1960s, before being reclaimed by the sea less than a year later.
In the Westman Islands region, Jólaborðin, which means “the Christmas table” in Icelandic, refers to a tuff rock formation lying between Háar and Skiphellir.
Other examples include Jóltorfa (“Christmas magic”), found just north of Kirkjubæjarklaustur, and Grýluklettur, a rocky feature overlooking Reyðarfjörður in eastern Iceland.
The interactive map is available online, where users can explore the festive locations.
The project offers an insight into how folklore, nature and language continue to shape Iceland’s landscape.