InIceland , folklore has deep radical . Stories clear down from generation to propagation about extremely low frequency , trolling , giants , and other mythological wight survive in the country ’s many rude wonders are still a big part ofIcelandic civilisation . Stories smother Christmas are no exclusion — although in Iceland , things are n’t always quite as jolly as the bearded man in a red suit .
Instead of Santa Claus , Iceland has the13 Yule Lads , orJólasveinar . harmonise toIceland Magazine , the Yule Lads live in undisclosed locating around the country and fall onto hamlet one by one during the 13 days before Christmas . These half - monster , half - trolls are say to recrudesce into houses and terrify fry while their mother , Grýla , stuffs tough tyke in a liberation and turns them into lather . If you ’re thinking this sounds sick , you ’re right , but it used to be worse : In the eighteenth century , accord to theBBC , storytellers would compete to severalise tales about the blighter ' violent dangerous undertaking . The stories begin so fucking that in 1746 , the government activity issued a decree prohibiting parents from scaring fry with the stories of the Yule Lads , according toAtlas Obscura .
Today , the Yule Lads are somewhat kind . They ’ve beeninfluencedby American idea about Christmas , and like Mr. Claus , they now get out gifts rather than stealing nutrient . However , their earlier incarnations inhabit on . Here ’s what you ask to cognise about each of the Yule Lads , listed here in the social club in which they seem in town .
1. Stekkjastaur, or Sheep-Cote Clod
Stekkjastaur is said to have long , stiff leg . He sneaks onto farms and steal milk directly from the farmers ' ewe . During the winter months , when the winds would fumble and farmers would see the sheep bleating , it was believed that the animals were being harassed by Stekkjastaur .
2. Giljagaur, or Gully Gawk
According to legend , this Yule Lad would hide in gullies all over town and then nobble into cow sheds to steal milk — sometimes powerful from the animal . While this may not seem like a big deal , in doing so Giljagaur was robbing people of akey ingredientin many Icelandic peach .
3. Stúfur, or Stubby
little than the rest of his brother , Stúfur was ill-famed for steal potbelly and pans contain leftover Earth’s crust . This might seem harmless enough , but many category depended on leftover to get them through the farsighted winters , and in some cases their plenty and pans might be the most worthful items they owned .
4. Þvörusleikir, or Spoon-Licker
Abnormally thin and with a self - explanatory name , Þvörusleikir would cabbage into homes and poke plebeian cutlery .
5. Pottaskefill, or Pot-Scraper
Just like Þvörusleikir , Pottaskefill steals leftovers .
6. Askasleikir, or Bowl-Licker
It ’s creepy enough that Askasleikir sneak into homes in the middle of the night to lick leftovers that are in bowls . But to make matter worse , he hides under the beds of children and waits for them to fall asleep before swipe whatever is left .
7. Hurðaskellir, or Door-Slammer
Hurðaskellir seems particularly evil . Legend has it that he would nobble into homes all across Iceland and slam doors in the centre of the night while hoi polloi were trying to sleep .
8. Skyrgámur, or Skyr-Gobbler
Skyr , which is a lot like yogurt , is a key ingredient in the Icelandic diet , peculiarly around the holiday . So you could imagine an Icelander ’s disappointment after waking up and recover that Skyrgámur had slip most of it .
9. Bjúgnakrækir, or Sausage-Swiper
Starting December 20 , one has to be especially deliberate about keeping an heart on their smoked sausage . It ’s said that Bjúgnakrækir will break into multitude ’s homes and hide in the rafters ; once the coast is clear , he ’ll swoop down and snatch any available blimp .
10. Gluggagægir, or Window-Peeper
As if feature monsters ruin into your house and slip nutrient is n’t bad enough , Icelanders also had to watch for peeping in their windows . Gluggagægir not only served as a reminder for children to not go outside during the dark , dusty winter months , but served as eyes for his mother , keeping track of gamy children she could steal and boil for dinner .
11. Gáttaþefur, or Door-Sniffer
This Yule Lad was known for his abnormally big nose , which he would use to sniffle out baked trade good . Legend has it that he was incessantly searching forlaufabrauð , or leaf bread , a Christmas delicacy often decorated with intricate formula .
12. Ketkrókur, or Meat Hook
Ketkrókur would lurk in different position in the house , and when everyone was asleep , use a long hook to slip the centerpiece of the Christmas meal — essence . Unlike his brother Bjúgnakrækir , who only enjoyed smoked blimp , Gáttaþefur did n’t discriminate when it come in to his fauna protein .
13. Kertasníkir, or Candle-Beggar
Like his sibling , at first the crimes of Kertasníkir , or the standard candle stealer , may seem harmless , but they ’re not . In yr past times , candles were a full of life part of surviving the winter in Iceland , since they provided light during the long hours without sun . And Kertasníkir did n’t even employ the candle . alternatively , he feed the tallow they were made from . To make matters worse , rather than hiding out like his siblings , Kertasníkir steal candles right out of kid ’s hands .
14. Grýla
The female parent of all 13 Yule Lads , the ogressGrýlais one of the oldest mythic graphic symbol in Icelandic folklore . The earliest composition about her particular date back to thirteenth - one C manuscripts . Grýla , whose name loosely translates to " growler " according toSmithsonian , is known for beating and berating her husband Leppalúði , a troll and the Church Father of the 13 Yule Lads . consort to legend , Grýla was married twice before , but she wipe out and wipe out her first hubby , Gustur , and murdered her 2d husband , Boli .
While there ’s disagreement on what she looked like , one rime say the ogress has 15 seat , each of which view as 100 bag with 20 fry . Another story claim she has 40 shadower . Some poems say she has 300 heads , each of which has three eye . Other fable claim she has eye in the back of her drumhead , ear that are so big they hit her nozzle , a whiskers , nigrify teeth , and hooves . In other words , she ’s probably not someone you need to run into if you ’re alone in the woods .
Grýla also had a unique survival political hack : It ’s said that she set out when winter pop out to appear for children who had misbehaved . Once she found them , she stuffed them in a jumbo sack , and then took them back to her cave to roil them live . The result was a fret she ate until next winter .
