December is the darkest month in Iceland: four hours and seven minutes of daylight at the solstice, sunrise at 11:23 and sunset at 15:30. It is also the month with the country’s strangest and best Christmas – thirteen Yule Lads, a book flood, fermented skate on the 23rd, and a New Year’s Eve of bonfires and unregulated fireworks that has to be seen to be believed.
The darkest weeks of the year
- 1 December 2027 – sunrise 10:46, sunset 15:50. 5 hours 5 minutes.
- 21 December – sunrise 11:23, sunset 15:30. 4 hours 7 minutes. The solstice.
- 31 December – 4 hours 19 minutes, and climbing again.
Reykjavik never goes fully dark at midday – the sun stays low rather than absent – but you get one usable block of light, roughly 11:30 to 15:30, and it is permanently golden. That is beautiful and it is limiting. One objective per day is the rule. Iceland stays on UTC all year, which is why sunrise sits so late on the clock.
Christmas, Icelandic style
Several traditions here have no equivalent elsewhere:
- The thirteen Yule Lads. From 12 December, one jolasveinn comes down from the mountains each night – Spoon-Licker, Door-Slammer, Sausage-Swiper and the rest – leaving a small gift in children’s shoes on the windowsill, or a potato if they have misbehaved. They depart one a day from Christmas onwards, the last leaving on 6 January.
- Thorlaksmessa, 23 December. Named for Saint Thorlakur, and traditionally the day for eating kaest skata, fermented skate, whose smell is legendary. Reykjavik’s Laugavegur stays open late and the city does its last-minute shopping in a crowd.
- Jolabokaflod, the Christmas book flood. Iceland publishes the bulk of its books in the run-up to Christmas, a catalogue goes to every household, and books are the default gift – opened on Christmas Eve and read that night.
- Christmas Eve, 24 December, is the main event, beginning at 18:00 with a meal and presents. Shops close at midday and stay shut through the 25th.
In 2027 Christmas Day falls on Saturday 25 December and Boxing Day on Sunday the 26th, both public holidays. Expect almost everything except hotels and a handful of restaurants to close on the 24th afternoon, the 25th and the 26th, and plan food accordingly – supermarkets shut too.
New Year’s Eve
Iceland’s gamlarskvold is genuinely one of the great New Year’s Eves. Neighbourhood bonfires are lit across Reykjavik in the early evening, the whole country watches the satirical revue Aramotaskaupid at 22:30, and at midnight the city disappears under an amount of private fireworks that is difficult to describe – sold by volunteer rescue teams as their main annual fundraiser, and set off by everyone, everywhere, with no central display and no restraint.
Book accommodation early, expect premium pricing for that week, and note that the Hallgrimskirkja hill and Perlan are the classic vantage points.
Aurora and ice caves
December has the longest nights of the year – up to twenty hours of darkness – so the aurora opportunity is maximal, and the natural ice caves under Vatnajokull are in season from November to March. Both are the reasons to accept four hours of daylight.
For the aurora: the Icelandic Met Office forecast at en.vedur.is, for activity and cloud, with cloud mattering more; at least three nights; and distance from Reykjavik’s light. For ice caves: guided tours only, always.
Weather and driving
Reykjavik averages a high near 1–3°C and a low near -2°C, with precipitation on about 15 days – the wettest month of the Icelandic year. Storms are frequent and road closures are routine.
Studded tyres are legal from 1 November to 15 April. Check road.is, safetravel.is and vedur.is every morning without exception, and leave a travel plan on safetravel.is for anything remote. Highland F-roads are closed. Do not attempt the Ring Road in December. With four hours of light and winter storms, the honest itinerary is Reykjavik, the Golden Circle and the South Coast.
Prices
December splits sharply. The first two weeks are low season and genuinely cheap. From about the 20th through New Year, Reykjavik is at its most expensive of the winter and books out early. If you want the dark and the aurora without the festive premium, come in the first fortnight.
See how much a trip to Iceland costs.
Volcanic activity
Reykjanes has erupted repeatedly in recent years, at times affecting Grindavik and the Blue Lagoon. The position changes constantly; check safetravel.is and the Icelandic Met Office before and during your trip and follow the authorities rather than any article.
What to wear
Full winter kit and then some: waterproof windproof shell, insulating mid-layer, thermal base, hat, gloves, boots with grip and microspikes for iced pavements. A head torch. And a swimsuit – the geothermal pools in December, outdoors and steaming at -2°C, are the single best thing about the month. See what to pack for Iceland.
The December 2027 calendar
- From 12 December – the Yule Lads arrive, one a night, until Christmas.
- Tuesday 21 December – the winter solstice: 4 hours 7 minutes of daylight.
- Thursday 23 December – Thorlaksmessa; fermented skate and late-night shopping on Laugavegur.
- Friday 24 December – Christmas Eve, the main celebration from 18:00; shops close at midday.
- Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 December – Christmas Day and Boxing Day, both public holidays.
- Friday 31 December – bonfires, the Aramotaskaupid at 22:30, and fireworks at midnight.
Read alongside
- Iceland in November – ice caves opening and the cheapest pre-Christmas weeks.
- Iceland in January – the same darkness without the festive pricing.
- Best time to visit Iceland – all twelve months compared.
- How much a trip to Iceland costs – the numbers.
- What to pack for Iceland – the deep-winter list.
- Where to stay in Reykjavik – choosing a base.
- Things to know before visiting Iceland – driving and weather rules.
Frequently asked
How many hours of daylight does Iceland get in December?
Four hours seven minutes at the solstice on 21 December 2027 – sunrise 11:23, sunset 15:30 in Reykjavik. The month opens with just over five hours and closes with about four and a quarter.
Is December a good time to see the northern lights?
It has the longest nights of the year, up to twenty hours of darkness, so the opportunity is maximal. Cloud is the limiting factor rather than darkness, so use the Icelandic Met Office cloud and aurora forecast and allow at least three nights.
Are ice caves open in December?
Yes. The natural Vatnajokull caves run from November to about March and December is squarely in season. Guided tours only. Katla and the manmade Langjokull tunnel are open year-round.
What are the Yule Lads?
Thirteen mischievous figures who come down from the mountains one per night from 12 December, leaving a small gift in children’s shoes – or a potato. They leave again one a day after Christmas, the last on 6 January.
What is Jolabokaflod?
The Christmas book flood: Iceland publishes most of its books in the run-up to Christmas, a catalogue goes to every home, and books are the standard gift, opened on Christmas Eve and read that night.
What is closed in Iceland at Christmas?
Shops close at midday on 24 December and stay shut through the 25th and 26th, supermarkets included. In 2027 those dates fall on a Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Plan food in advance.
What is New Year’s Eve like in Iceland?
Neighbourhood bonfires in the early evening, the satirical Aramotaskaupid on television at 22:30, and a midnight fireworks display put on by the whole population – the fireworks are sold by volunteer rescue teams as their annual fundraiser. Book early; that week is the most expensive of the winter.
Can you drive the Ring Road in December?
No, not sensibly. Four hours of daylight and frequent storms make it a poor idea. Reykjavik, the Golden Circle and the South Coast is the realistic December itinerary.
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Written by
John Morrison is the founder and lead travel writer at Packzup. Over the past decade he has explored destinations across Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Oceania — always self-funded, never on a press trip.
