Bjarki’s Confirmation Day

2021-03-21Bjarki, Confirmation Standard

[Photos taken 21-22 March 2021, posted online 22 July 2021. Covid-19 cases are again climbing rapidly in Iceland. Border regulations are being tightened, but no news on domestic regulations (there are currently no restrictions). Authorities are waiting a bit to see the effect of lots of vaccinations, our main concern continues to be not overwhelming the health system, and keeping deaths to a minimum.]

After a nerve-wracking few weeks, as we kept a close eye on new covid-19 cases, while last-minute organizing and ordering contamination-minimizing food for the day, Bjarki’s civil confirmation actually happened as planned!

Domestic regulations stipulated no more than 50 adults in the same room (200 in big auditoriums), so we ended up having two celebrations, first at 3pm for close family friends, and another at 6 pm for our families. The ceremony itself was at noon, so it was a long and busy day, but Bjarki thoroughly enjoyed being the center of attention, so we deemed it well worth it.

Unfortunately, covid-19 cases began skyrocketing the week after, and the following Wednesday, authorities again tightened domestic regulations, and all upcoming confirmations (we were invited to two on 28 March) were postponed! (80-ish images total)

Sunday 21 March 2021

Bjarki, in his outfit nicknamed “Tiny Businessman”, before setting out for the confirmation ceremony.
Earlier that morning we’d made our way to the banquet-room and decked the tables. Weird how a table-ribbon makes things exponentially more fancy.
The ceremony was held in Háskólabíó, i.e. the University Movie Theater.
View of the stage. Everybody had numbered seats, and there was a gap between unrelated parties.
Obligatory disinfectant prominently placed.
The kids entered the hall while a trumpet player played some song I should know the name of.
The kids are encouraged to perform at their ceremony. This time four kids volunteered to perform.
Acrobatic dancing in progress!
There was a good speech on the importance of figuring out one’s values.
In line to get their certificates of completing the series of civil-confirmation-classes. The classes cover such topics as critical thinking, human and animal rights, ethics, environmental issues, sex-ed, etc. Bjarki was sad when they ended because he’d been having a blast.
Bingo!
The group. (The blurriness is good from a personal protection view, but sad from a photographic view.)
Formally confirmed! Let’s go party!
As it was a Sunday, random doors in the mall where the party room was located were closed. Thank goodness for phone-editing of photos!
The baker gave me a good fright. We ordered food from a bakery that is on the first floor, but when I went down there to pick them up, about 40 minutes before the first party, the girl had no food for us. I called the baker, and thankfully it turned out he was on his way with the goodies from the town he lives in! Crisis averted!
Cake #1.
Flowers, program, and certificate, check. But we totally forgot to put out the decorated candle… duh!
Emma excited for the party to begin.
Siblings.
Mr. B.
Siblings. So blurry… What’s up with you camera?
Decorations.
The lady who rents out the room also arranged a server for us, who was an absolute life-saver!
Guests! We tried to maintain a 2m distance between unrelated parties, people were required to wear masks when away from their tables, and getting food.
A lovely view from the 7th floor.
Masks! Redheads!
Smiles are such a sight for sore eyes!
We remembered to bring toys for the kids, yay!
Chatting in progress.
Carbohydrate overload!
Siblings by the table.
Finnur gave a speech, Bjarki played Blackbird on guitar, and then gave a short speech by himself.
Bjarki playing (photo courtesy of Ragnar).
Let’s eat!
The breaking of pyramid-cake #1.
Looking good!
Adults in masks, kids maskless as per domestic rules. Hands were to be disinfected before and after getting food.
A raven said hi.
Screens had a slideshow of photos.
Smiles!
White shoes are all the rage these days!
So nice to meet people!
Bjarki fed and happy.
A chatty corner.
Whoa! A family photo!
A bus stopped at the bus stop down below. This is Hafnarfjörður harbor.
Fooling around between parties.
Pyramid-cake #2!
A new set of guests! A new set of food-stuffs!
There were even hugs!!
Dinner of the “individual portions” type!
More guests!
The masks were an “interesting” addition to parties as usual.
So many faces we hadn’t seen in a while.
More smiles to warm the heart.
These happy folks were glad to take a break from renovating their new place!
Masks off when sitting down.
Tough lighting in the corner from a photographic point of view!
Finnur gave his speech again, so weird to have two parties in one day!
Bjarki played Blackbird, again.
Bjarki then gave a short speech.
Bjarki’s speech. 🙂
Then we ate!
Soon it was dessert time!
Now an expert cake-breaker!
This being the first party in a long while, people were in no hurry to leave, and dusk fell.
Cars neatly arranged!
Ongoing chatting.
Bjarki with his paternal grandparents.
Bjarki with Grandma Ásdís (grandpa Gunnar stuck in the UK this time around).
Bjarki with great-grandma Hrefna.
Lively discussions ongoing.
The boys got silly.
Some more family photos.
All five.
After tidying up, and transporting everything home, I had to take a photo of this gorgeous rose that was on one of the cakes.

Monday 22 March 2021

We had arrived home far too late to open presents the night before, so poor Bjarki had to wait until after work/practices to open all the presents.
The candle we totally forgot to put out the day before!
Reading through the “greetings/advices” cards guests had filled out the day before.
Opening presents is fun! Bjarki was VERY happy with all his presents, and we now tease him endlessly about being formally “in the tally of adults” (“í tölu fullorðinna”).
Finnur’s parents unexpectedly stopped by, and were greeted with leftover cakes and coffee!