Candle Beggar: He steals candles, which used to be sought-after items in Iceland.

That, and they have some of the funniest names you have ever heard of. Not much more to him than that. Now he has a great love for meat and refuses to eat vegetables. Phew! Gryla would scold him to stop, so he switched to sucking on wooden spoons instead.

Old Icelandic folklore states that every Icelander must receive a new piece of clothing for Christmas or Jólakötturinn eats anyone who doesn’t follow this rule.

In the 13 nights leading up to Christmas, they pay a visit to Icelandic children. So on and so forth.

In modern times the Yule Lads have been depicted as also taking on a more benevolent role[13] comparable to Santa Claus and other related figures. Has an abnormally large nose which allows him to locate scraps of food that have been dropped on the ground. Lock up your cupboards and prepare to learn more about the Yulemen of Iceland. The problem with Spoon Licker is that he comes into your kitchen to lick all the wooden spoons and ladles you use to stir food in pots. Initially, she wasn’t associated with the Yule Lads, but over time the two myths blended together. He likes to slink into the sheep shed so he can suckle the milk from ewes.

Eleventh was Door Sniffer, a doltish lad and gross.

She devours children as her favorite snack. Gluggagægir (Window Peeper) – 21st December, 11.

All your Christmas inspiration is here. I promise to keep your email address safe. He doesn’t seem to do much at all though he sometimes assists his wife in abducting children. It’s important to leave a small chair next to the window to help him reach the shoe and to give him a rest before continuing on.

Rumor has it he’s even stolen a smoked leg of lamb by lowering one of his extra long hooks down a chimney.

Unlike the Santa Claus that I grew up with, these yule lads are not jolly with a big belly. They are generally depicted as wearing late medieval style Icelandic clothing,[14] but are sometimes shown wearing the costume traditionally worn by Santa Claus, especially at children's events.

Favorite treat: skyr, cheese, milk

Sheep-Cote Clod is the first to arrive, and he signals the beginning of the holiday season. The strangest part about the Yule Lads myth, the whole thing is weird if you think about it, are the names and the myths tied to the fictional beings. Here is a list of the Yule Lads (in the order they visit the children):

He wished to suck the ewes, but it was no accident he couldn't; he had stiff knees - not to convenient. The Yule Lads arrive during the last 13 nights before Christmas, beginning 12 December. They arrive over thirteen days, and so must they take thirteen days to leave. We call them the Yule-Lads. The Yule Lads are the sons of the troll Grýla and her husband Leppalúði.
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Here is a quick rundown of their names in Icelandic, in list form. This fellow is a fan of harassing sheep and is every farmer (and sheep)’s worst enemy. Stubby: He’s short and steals food from frying pans.

All of them except Grýla. And here you thought hákarl was the strangest food in Iceland.

He hides under beds waiting for someone to put down their askur – or he would happily accept a tub of skyr. Guys, again, a moment of honesty here: I have no problem with these guys either. We created this Iceland travel blog to help you discover what to see and do in Iceland. Candles here used to be made of tallow, a hard substance made from animal fat, so they were edible. In addition to being abnormally short, he also has an affinity for stealing pans so he can lick up the remaining bits of burnt food.

Ferry to Iceland: A Different Way of Traveling. I know you are all dying to learn about Icelandic Christmas traditions so today I’m here to tell you all about the Icelandic version of Santa Claus! They live with their mother Grýla and have a raggedy cat named Jólakötturinn. Pot Scraper, the fifth one, was a funny sort of chap. Originally the Yule Lads were troublemakers and that's how they got their peculiar names, as you can read about below with excerpts of the poem "Jólasveinavísur" by Jóhannes frá Kötlum. The modern variation has deviated far from its medieval origins, and it has been revamped for the contemporary, holiday-loving family.

The cat has alternatively been described as merely eating away the food of ones without new clothes during Christmas feasts. No reindeer-drawn sleigh, no red suit, and no chimney. The most confusing names for foreigners to discern there meaning from are Sheep-Cote Clod, Gully Gawk, and Stubby. Personality: big heart and bright personality.
Gryla is described as a hideous being who is the mother of the gigantic Yule Lads who are a menace to children. Smallest of the brothers but also the most charming. Well behaved boys and girls get gifts or candy and bad children receive something awful, like rotting potatoes. So Pottasleiker learned to get to the pots and pans first to get any leftover scraps.