Icelandic Santas - The Yule Lads
Yes, it’s that time of the year again. Christmas/Yule is approaching fast and snow and weather is helping to create just the right atmosphere. Yule is one of the biggest things in Iceland, although perhaps differently from what you would expect. In Iceland, Yule has still a lot to do with tradition. People of course like to do out of proportion shopping at Ikea and indulge in fantastic baking marathons, but they also like to keep their feet on good old — and somewhat scary — soil. And what is there more traditional — and scary — than those fancy and crazy Christmassy trolls AKA the Icelandic Santas, commonly referred to as the Yule Lads?
You do not really need for me to go through all the Yule Lads’ madness and frills once again, do you? Well, maybe you do need it, especially if your memory is short or if you were not around last year to cultivate yourself (cough). Hence, I am posting a recap about them and their more than noteworthy mother, in chronological order of appearance. Yes, it’s all the good and the bad about them. Each Yule Lad is a wonderful and disgusting world of his own, so beware!
Since Iceland is peculiar about this, there are still 13 Santas going about their business in the silent nights preceeding the Icelandic Christmas. The Best Party had promised to reduce them to a canonical single Santa, and what the heck, maybe they intended to have him dress in red and ohohoh mindlessly all the time. But they couldn’t keep their promise yet — and just for your information, we have not seen a polar bear in the Capital’s zoo either.
So here they are, for your pleasure, or displeasure.
- Where it all started – Grýla
- December 12 – Stekkjastaur
- December 13 – Giljagaur
- December 14 – Stúfur
- December 15 – Þvörusleikir
- December 16 – Pottasleikir
- December 17 – Askasleikir
- December 18 – Hurðaskellir
- December 19 – Skyrgámur
- December 20 – Bjúgnakrækir
- December 21 – Gluggagægir
- December 22 – Gáttaþefur
- December 23 – Ketkrókur
- December 24 – Kertasníkir
Sure enough, the Yule calendar is much more intriguing than the usual Advent calendar. So, what is your favorite Yule Lad? Have you made up your mind?
Every Yule means a present for the icelandic children? If the answer is yes they are really great…
This brings back memories. When I was a child I used to wait for the lads with anticipation and terror! Those days are long gone!
@Jose: Yule Lads usued to bring very smaller gifts to children, not flashy presents at all like Santa Claus. Children now are into foreign traditions, so the two things can be celebrated at the same time.
They are perfect for horror movies: I think in the short film ” Unholy night ” by Arni Thor Jonnsson.