The Christmas exhibition at the Icelandic Open-Air Folk Museum yesterday didn’t disappoint, even in the sleet. Children especially enjoyed riding the horse and cart; playing with old-fashioned toys; making Christmas decorations; drinking hot chocolate with kleinur, Icelandic doughnuts; and dancing around the Christmas tree.

A Yuletide Lad at the Icelandic Open-Air Folk Museum in Reykjavik (Árbær).

Several Yuletide Lads wandered around in more traditional costumes than the red and white modern versions that we’re used to seeing nowadays. I snapped a photo of one but I can’t be sure he was Door Slammer (Hurdaskellir) who came down from the Yuletide Lads’ mountain residence early yesterday morning. Today it was Skyr Glutton (Skyrgámur), and tomorrow it will be Sausage Stealer (Bjúgnakrækir). Fairly self-explanatory names, though not everyone is familiar with skyr, a divine Icelandic dairy product, similar to yogurt but technically a type of very soft cheese. My son’s preschool menu for today reads: Skyr courtesy of Skyr Glutton, with homemade bread.