gleðilega hátið
The English phrase "happy holidays" is translated into Icelandic as gleðilega hátið.
This phrase is used as a holiday greeting.
Meaning: holiday greeting (phrase)
Did you know?
- Iceland has a unique tradition called Jólabókaflóð or the 'Yule Book Flood'. It is common to gift books on Christmas Eve and spend the holiday reading them.
- In some traditional contexts, greetings during the holiday season may reference the 13 Yule Lads, a group of mischievous figures who deliver gifts, rather than a single Santa Claus.
- In Icelandic, there is a difference between frí meaning 'time off work' and hátið meaning 'festive celebration', so you cannot use the word for 'vacation' when wishing someone a happy holiday.
Example sentences for Icelandic are not verified yet.
Example conversation
Jón and Guðrún are leaving work for the holiday break.
- JónSjáumst eftir ferðum, Guðrún!See you later, Guðrún!
- GuðrúnJá, sjáumst! Gleðilega hátið, Jón.Yes, see you! Happy holidays, Jón.
- JónTakk, gleðilega hátið þér líka.Thanks, happy holidays to you too.
- GuðrúnTakk,takk!Thank you!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “happy holidays” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
