WINTER OR NOT WINTER ?
OLD NORSE SEASONS
By Minjie Su
A manuscript depicting a Norse mythology image of the goat Heiðrún atop of Valhöll , eating leaves from a tree . From the 18th century Icelandic manuscript NKS 1867 4to , Danish Royal Library , Copenhagen
If you pay Iceland a visit in late April , there is a good chance that , on one seemingly harmless Thursday , you will find yourself surrounded by closed shops and restaurants . Nobody is supposed to work on Sumardagurinn fyrsti , you will be told , it is ‘ the First Day of Summer ’, an Icelandic public holiday that is held on the first Thursday after the 18th of April .