The Yule Lads, an Ogress, and a Cat: Or A Guide on How not to get eaten at Christmas

The Yule Lads

The Yule Lads are Iceland’s version of Santa Claus, except that there are 13 of them, each with their own distinct character (all but 2 of them having to do with food, which makes me think that winters in Iceland in the past were pretty bleak and tough-food wise). The Yule Lads live in a cave up in the mountains of Iceland. Do NOT make me say which mountain they live in. Depending on where you live the mountain is near you and all the people who claim it is a different mountain are WRONG! So, I am just going to keep it generic and say “A mountain in Iceland.”

And it is here that our story begins…

The Yule Lads are the children of a troll named Gryla. She lives in a cave and always has a big pot of boiling water at hand in case she should hear about some exceptionally naughty child who she might need to eat. Some years she goes hungry and other years…well, she travels with a large sack so she can transport naughty children back to her cave where she will boil and eat them. Gryla has been used by parents for centuries to keep kids behaving. In fact, in 1746, Icelandic authorities issued a decree forbidding parents from using Gryla to frighten their children. From what we heard Icelandic people say, to this day, parents are still using the threat to Gryla to keep children in line. In fact, the Icelandic word for “Icicle” is “Grylukerti” which means Gryla’s candle. She was recorded in the 13^th century as having 15 tails. She has been said to have an eye in the back of her head, and she has hooves, instead of feet.

The father of the Yule Lads is Gryla’s third husband. The first was a troll named Boli. The second was Gustur, whom she ate (I guess the kids were all good that year so she ate him because she had no kids to eat).  The third, and father of the Yule Lads, is Leppaludi. He is not known for much other than being a human, being the father of the Yule Lads, and really being quite lazy.

Gryla also has a sweet pet, the Yule Cat or the Jolakotturinn. If anyone does not get new clothing on Christmas Eve, the Yule Cat will eat them. Yes, I did visit Walkabout Outfitters and I made sure I had new socks for everyone so we did not end up in the belly of the Yule Cat. While we were in Reykjavik my daughter bought a ceramic statue of the Yule Cat.  The store owner asked us if we knew about the story of the Yule Cat. Dean said "Well, we all got socks for Christmas." At that point the owner knew we understood and told us how scared she had been as a child, worrying that the Yule Cat would eat her. Thank goodness for my crazy need to do research or we all might be in the belly of the Yule Cat. 

The Yule Lads start arriving on the 12^th of December. The first writings about the Yule Lads made them quite naughty or almost evil. After a few reprimands from the Church, the Yule Lads are more mischievous than evil. They have learned that it is better to give a gift and share in the joy than just be the receiver who just takes. But in most cases, in the past, their bellies lead the way, and while they may take food, if a child leaves their shoe out on the windowsill, a Yule Lad will present a gift (a toy, fruit, or candy) each night. If you are bad…well, you might just get a rotten potato.

They start arriving:

On December 12, Stekkjastaur or Sheep-Cote Clod arrives. He loves sheep’s milk and will try to steal some.

December 13 Giljagaur or Gully Gawk arrives. He slinks down the gullies, looking for cow’s milk to steal

December 14, Stufur or Stubby show us. He is very short and loves the burnt bits of food that get stuck to a pan. He will steal the pans and try to clean them off.

December 15 Pvorusleiker or Spoon Licker comes into town. He is as tall and lean as the wooden spoons he tries to find and lick. If you are making cookies and cannot find your wooden spoon, don’t blame your child, there may be a Yule Lad to blame.

December 16^th Pottasleiker or Pot Licker.  Yes, please do not wash dishes right away. Pot Licker wants to help. In our house, I think Pot Licker is a Black Lab named Chessie, but you never know…

December 17^th: Askasleiker or Bowl Licker:  Okay…Seriously. I am pretty sure that these tales were made up by women who did not want to do dishes. “Oh, no. I need to leave the bowls our for the Yule Lads.”

Actually,  the Askurs, the old fashioned lidded bowls, were pretty interesting. They were a hinged, lidded pot with each one having a different design, a name or initials and the date it was made.

December 18^th…dun, dun, dun….Hurdaskellier or the Door Slammer. This would be the most irritating of the Yule Lads (but not the creepiest). He liked to creep in when it was dark and slam doors. He is, however, not obsessed with food. So I have to give him some credit for that.

December 19^th: Skyrgamur or the Skyr Glutton. Yes, he has a point. Skyr is pretty amazing stuff. Most homes would have great wooden barrels of the stuff. It is kind of like a thick yogurt and amazing. I understand why he would want to steal it.

December 20: Bjugnakraekir or Sausage Stealer.  In past, the bjugu were really large sausages, about 6 times the size of a hot dog. No wonder he wanted them. He had a huge nose to sniff them out.

December 21: Gluggagaegir or Window Peeper. This sounds creepy and it kind of was. If a kid saw this Yule Lad, he would make weird faces to them away. He was mainly trying to find food to eat and scare kids away so he could get the food.

December 22: Gattadefur or Door Sniffer has a huge nose and never catches a cold.  He starts smelling the ‘leaf bread” and comes down from the mountains to find some.

December 23^rd: Ketkrokur or Meat Hook is one of the most industrious of the lads. He uses a hook to try to grab some of the roasting meats from a family’s hearth.

December 24^th: Kertasnikir or Candle Begger. While this does not seem like a big thing, to steal candles, in years past, children received for Christmas not much more that candles. They were made into Kings Candles to represent the Magi or into an Advent Wreath to count down the weeks until Christmas.

Then, starting on the 25^th, they start moving back up into the mountains so that the last one leaves on January 6^th or the Twelft Night. This night is another holy night for the people of Iceland. The last of the Yule Lads leaves to go back to the mountains, according to legend, hidden people move their houses, cows speak, seals leave their skin and walk on land, and elves walk around. It is a good time for bonfires to be lit and brighten up the night.