December 12-24: Yuletide Lads | Jólasveinar
The Yuletide Lads visit Icelandic homes from December 12-24. Iceland has several “Santas.” The Yuletide Lads are descendants of Gryla and Leppalúði, the Ogres. The lads are mischievous and originally were supposed to scare naughty children. The 1932 the poem “Jólasveinarnir” was published as a part of a popular poetry book Jólin Koma (“Christmas Arrives”) by Icelandic poet Jóhannes úr Kötlum. The poem depicted thirteen Yule Lads, which took on a more benevolent role. Sometimes they are depicted wearing late medieval-style Icelandic clothing, but more often they are shown wearing traditionally Santa Claus clothing.
Also known as the Christmas Men, one Santa visits Icelandic homes everyday beginning on the 12th. Their number has varied throughout the ages, but currently they are considered to be thirteen.
The Yule Lads Are:
- Stekkjarstaur: Sheep-Cote Clod, harasses sheep and has stiff peg-legs, arrives on the 12th
- Giljagaur: Gully Gawk, hides in gullies, waiting to sneak into cowsheds and steal milk, arrives on the 13th
- Stúfur: Stubby, abnormally short, steals pans to eat the crust left on them, arrives on the 14th
- Þvörusleikir: Spoon-Licker, steals Þvörur (a long handled wooden spoon) to lick, arrives on the 15th
- Pottaskefill: Pot-Scraper, steals leftovers from pots, arrives on the 16th
- Askasleikir: Bowl-Licker, hides under beds waiting for someone to put down their “askur” (a bowl with a lid), which he then steals, arrives on the 17th
- Hurðaskellir: Door-Slammer, slam doors at night, arrives on the 18th
- Skyrgámur: Skyr-Gobbler, has a great affinity for skyr (a cheese/yogurt type dish), arrives on the 19th
- Bjúgnakrækir: Sausage-Swiper, hides in the rafters and snatches sausages, , arrives on the 20th
- Gluggagægir: Window-Peeper, looks through windows in search of things to steal, arrives on the 21st
- Gáttaþefur: Doorway-Sniffer, has a large nose and an acute sense of smell which he uses to locate laufabrauð (a type of bread), arrives on the 22nd
- Ketkrókur: Meat-Hook, uses a hook to steal meat, , arrives on the 23rd
- Kertasníkir: Candle-Stealer, follows children in order to steal their candles (which were once made of tallow and thus edible), arrives on the 24th
⇴ image from Pixabay.com