YULE LADS

With over half of Icelanders truly believing in elves, it is no wonder that Christmas means a little more there. As legend goes and people still believe there are 2 old trolls that live upon the mountain, Gryla and Lappaluoi. Gryla loves to take bad children and cook them in her giant pot to eat. Together they have 13 naughty sons; the 13 Yule Lads. The first Yule lad, Sheep-Cote Clod arrives on December 12.

The children of Iceland open their windows and leave one shoe out at night. If they have been good they will receive a present from Sheep-Cote Clod. If they have been bad they receive a potato which will bring them complete shame and ridicule the following day at school. Every day after another Yule lad comes; Gully Gawk, Stubby, Spoon-Licker, Pot-Scraper, Bowl-Licker, Door-Slammer, Skyr-Gobbler, Sausage Swiper, Window-Peeper, Doorway-Sniffer, Meat-Hook, and finally Candle-Stealer.

If a child is lucky enough to receive no potatoes in their shoe by the end of the 13^th day on Christmas, they are still not in the clear. They still get one more visitor, the Christmas Cat. If the child is not good enough to receive at least one piece of clothing from the Yule Lads by Christmas, the Christmas cat will come and eat them.

Being such strong believers in elves, it is no wonder why December in Iceland sees some of the most well behaved children on the planet.