Brenna is the Icelandic New Year's Eve bonfire tradition in which communities gather around communal fires.
The Icelandic word brenna means a bonfire, and New Year's Eve bonfires are a distinctive part of celebrations across Iceland. People gather outdoors around large fires, often alongside fireworks, singing, and social events. The fires provide a communal focus during the long, dark winter night.
Icelandic New Year customs also include watching Áramótaskaupið, an annual satirical television program broadcast on New Year's Eve. Fireworks are extremely prominent, and the country's residents collectively create one of the most conspicuous private fireworks displays in Europe.
Brenna is a general term for the bonfire tradition, not the name of one single national fire in one location. Practices and permits vary among municipalities, and the size or timing of fires can change. It is also separate from Þorrablót, a midwinter Icelandic festival held later in the winter.