Ash Wednesday (öskudagur, in Icelandic) is preceded by Bun Day (bolludagur) and Bursting Day (sprengidagur).
Although Ash Wednesday is not originally an Icelandic tradition, the tradition to hang bags filled with ash on people’s backs without them noticing is uniquely Icelandic.
Nowadays, children are given the day off from school to dress up in costumes and sing in stores and companies in exchange for candy.
In the northeastern town of Akureyri, where Ash Day was first celebrated on the island, a pinata is hoisted in the town square and children takes turns “beating the cat out of the barrel” as it is called.
This year Spark Design Space in Reykjavik is currently exhibiting ash bags designed by various artists which will be sold for charity.
This video was shot by Páll Kjartansson. Published on Iceland Review.
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