Páskar (Easter in Icelandic), is a time that Icelanders like to relax and spend time with family. Their Easter holidays start with Maundy (Holy) Thursday. Most businesses close, but cinema’s tend to stay open throughout the holiday. Icelanders often leave town around Easter for a short break.
Like the Westerners, Icelandic children receive chocolate Easter eggs from parents and grandparents. Icelandic chocolate eggs are filled with candy and inside each one is a small piece of paper with an Icelandic proverb written on it. Many parents hide the eggs in the home and on Easter morning the kids run around the house trying to find them. It is always somewhat exciting to open up your egg and see which proverb you got. Will it speak directly into your situation or your personality? Or will it be very funny?
As in other parts of the world, Icelandic families get together to celebrate Easter with a big lunch or dinner together. Easter is a time to celebrate family and enjoy each other’s company.
Here is a list of 20 popular Icelandic proverbs you can add to your chocolate egg this easter:
1. A bad rower blames the oar
2. Blind is a man without a book
3. Money turns many into monkeys
4. A good child sings good songs
5. It is too late to fence the well, when the child has fallen into it
6. The burnt child fears the fire
7. There is often a witch in a fair hide
8. He who know only few things has little to forget
9. All that glitters is not gold
10. Bare is the back of a brotherless man
11. Better be alone than in bad company
12. Never is a good verse too often said
13. There seldom is a single wave
14. Everyone wants to be lord, but no one wants to carry the bag
15. The twigs are rarely better than the trunk
16. Sweet is the smell from your own ass
17. Eyes can not hide a woman’s love for a man
18. A sitting crow starves
19. Everything is hay in hard times
20. Perceptive is the guest’s eye