beware OF the smell in town on 23.December!

​Skata: Fermented skate, traditional dish on the 23rd of December.  In Iceland it is customary to eat buried and fermented skate along with potatoes on Þorláksmessa. The ammonia-infused odor of fermented skate is quite strong and long lasting so a lot of housewifes send their husbands to an official Skata dinner at a restaurant or hotel! Bad breath guaranteed!
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Þorláksmessa: „Mass of St. Thorlac“ is an Icelandic holiday celebrated on December 23. It is a celebration in 

​honor of Þorlákur Þórhallsson, bishop of Skálholt, who died in 1193. On Þórláksmessa many people finish decorating their houses and the Christmas tree, and buy Christmas presents. Shops are often open until 11 pm and people go for a stroll down Laugavegur, the main shoppingstreet in Reykjavík to buy presents and go for an evening coffee.