Christmas Around the World, Week 2 - Iceland!
As we continue our trip around the world to explore the Christmas traditions of different countries, we stop in Iceland just in time for a visit from the Yule Lads.
Today, the Yule Lads are Santa-like figures who bring Christmas treats to the children of Iceland, but that's not how they started. The Lads – all 13 of them – are brothers, the sons of two trolls who live up in the mountains. Beginning on December 12, one brother comes down for a visit each night, and beginning on Christmas day, they leave in the same order. Where they go, mischief follows. Each brother brings a different kind of chaos with him: Spoon Licker sneaks into your house to lick the spoon you use to scrape the pots and pans, while Door Slammer keeps you up at night by making a ruckus, and Skyr Gobbler eats all your yogurt until he has a terrible stomachache. Historically, the Lads were rather scary figures, but their antics have become more lighthearted over time. In fact, today it is said that if you place a shoe on your windowsill before you go to sleep, that night's Lad will leave a piece of candy or a small toy in it. If you're bad, you'll get a shoe full of rotting potatoes! Perhaps your family would like to invite a visit from the Yule Lads this year! If you'd like to read more about them, IcelandWonder.com has great drawings and descriptions of each one.
If you do choose to welcome the Yule Lads into your home, you'd be well-advised to avoid their house cat, Jólakötturinn, or "Christmas Cat." According to tradition, on Christmas Eve Jólakötturinn eats anyone who has not yet received a new piece of clothing. Though some say that rather than eating you, he will eat your holiday treats, this story has still been, for many years, a motivator for Icelandic folks to work extra hard in the lead-up to Christmas so that they can provide their families with new items of clothing during the holiday season. If you're worried about a visit from Jólakötturinn, we invite you to use this simple pattern simple pattern to make some new socks for the members of your family.
You might also embrace this tradition by cleaning out your family's closets while the Yule Lads are in town, and donating clothing you no longer wear. Of course, assessing – and letting go of – unneeded possessions is a wonderful reminder of your many blessings. But in this case, you will also provide a double blessing to those in need, sharing both Christmas cheer AND protection from Jólakötturinn!
So hide your yogurt during this Advent season, and if the Yule Lads make a visit to your home, share the mischief with us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.
