christmas

As I hope you’ve seen by now across our series about the Icelandic Yule Lads, this interesting tale from Icelandic folklore states that these mystical creatures come down annually across the holiday season to cause mischief and mayhem at your house. Today, we’re here to talk about the very last Yule Lad who graces us…

While continuing our adventure discussing the mythical Yule Lads of Icelandic Christmas folklore, I have to stop and laugh at the name Meat Hook. He’s another example of a ridiculous name given to one of these trolls that perfectly describes what he does. Today, let’s discuss Meat Hook the Yule Lad, also known as Ketkrókur,…

The holidays are here! How did that happen? Somehow, I’m not even remotely ready yet. However, the family is in town, and I find everyone looking for last-minute holiday cheer. If you’re in Richmond, Virginia like me and you are in the same boat, I’m happy to report that I have some wonderful options for…

As we continue sharing our stories of the Icelandic Yule lads, mythical beings that come into town each year to cause mischief around Christmas, today we will discuss Doorway Sniffer, also known as Gáttaþefur. Doorway Sniffer comes to town each year on December 22nd and sniffs your doors until January 4th. It’s on that day…

As the sons of Gryla, who is a troll said to eat children, it’s no surprise that some of the Yule Lads have been given names that may seem questionable to us… especially in modern times. We’re going to discuss one of those today: Window Peeper. While your mind might go somewhere else when you…

Seeing as how their family consists of Gryla the child-eating troll and a giant cat who is said to eat people who don’t receive new clothes before Christmas Eve… it may not be quite the surprise then that some of these Yule Lads have questionable names within today’s modern standards. The arrival of today’s Yule…

As we continue our dive into the Icelandic Yule Lads in celebration of the holiday season, today we are highlighting Skyr Gobbler, also called Skyrgámur, on his day of arrival. Now, you may not know what skyr is, and if you don’t his name could be a bit confusing. Skyr is a traditional Icelandic yogurt,…

If you’ve ever scrolled through Instagram in December and come across a giant, flaming straw goat, you’re not hallucinating. Burning a massive goat made of straw might sound like the climax of some quirky indie movie, but in parts of Scandinavia, it’s an actual Christmas tradition. Specifically, in Sweden, the city of Gävle (pronounced something…

I’m sure by now you know that we’re discussing each Icelandic Yule Lad on the date of his arrival into town for the holiday season. Today, December 18th, marks the arrival of Door Slammer. I bet you can guess what he does? Yep! Door Slammer, also called Hurðaskellir, enjoys loudly closing doors in the middle…

Today, December 17th, marks the arrival of Askasleikir, also called Bowl Licker. He is the sixth of thirteen Yule Lads in Icelandic Christmas folklore who come down into town for the holiday season to cause trouble. The name of each Yule Lad will clue you in on the type of mischief they cause, so, with…

Which Icelandic Yule Lad are we highlighting today? Well, it’s December 16th, so today we are welcoming Pot Scraper! Each year from December 16th to December 30th, Pot Scraper comes to town to lick clean any food that has been left behind on pots and pans. Unlike some of his other brothers, pot scraper is…

I hope by now you’ve been following our mythological adventure through Icelandic folklore as we introduce a new Yule Lad on the supposed date of their arrival. If not, be sure to follow along after reading this article introducing them HERE. As we continue our fun dive down into the the world of Icelandic folklore,…

I hope by this point you’ve been following our fun adventure as we introduce a new Yule Lad on the supposed date of their arrival. If not, be sure to follow along after reading this article introducing them HERE. As we continue our fun dive down into the the world of Icelandic folklore, today, December…

Christmas is packed with traditions—trees, stockings, gingerbread cookies, Mariah Carey on repeat. However, there’s one thing we don’t think about — not all holiday customs survived the test of time. Over the centuries, some pretty out-there, or should I say bizarre Christmas traditions have fallen by the wayside. And honestly? It’s kind of a shame.…

As we continue our fun dive down into the the world of Icelandic folklore, I want to remind everyone that the Yule Lads are out and about wreaking havoc throughout the month of December! You can read more about them HERE! For today, December 13th, we celebrate the arrival of Gully Gawk. Each December 13th,…

As mentioned, in the world of Icelandic folklore, the Yule Lads are out and about wreaking havoc throughout the month of December! You can read more about them HERE! For today, December 12th, we celebrate the arrival of the first Yule Lad, according to Icelandic folklore. Each December 12th, Sheepcote Clod (Giljagaur in his traditional…

Today, as we continue to spread Icelandic holiday tales, specifically the story of Gryla, the Yule Cat, and the Yule Lads, we are going to go over a brief account of who the Yule Lads are. If you missed my introduction, before you read on, be sure to check out THIS ARTICLE. And if you…

Christmas is a magical time in the United States, full of lights, laughter, and unique ways of celebrating. American Christmas traditions bring together people from all over, showing just how diverse and exciting the holidays can be. From big cities to small towns, each place has its own special way of spreading holiday cheer! So,…

As we continue our adventure down the rabbit hole into the Icelandic holiday tales, specifically the story of Gryla, the Yule Cat, and the Yule Lads, we get to one of my personal favorites: the Yule Cat. If you missed my introduction yesterday, before you read on, be sure to check out THIS ARTICLE. To…

One of my favorite topics to study is the idea of holiday traditions! Learning the sometimes strange myths, legends, and beliefs of other cultures, specifically around the holiday season, just hits home for me. I love hearing about different belief systems from around the world, and I think my favorite set of tales that I’ve…

Alright, so we all know Santa Claus, right? Jolly old guy, loves cookies, brings presents, rides reindeer, and all that Christmas magic. But have you heard of his creepy, horned counterpart, Krampus? If you haven’t, just know that Krampus isn’t your typical holiday mascot. Imagine a twisted mix of folklore, spookiness, and a dash of…

As the holiday season approaches, there’s something undeniably magical about the European Christmas markets. Picture it: cozy wooden stalls, the smell of roasted chestnuts and spiced mulled wine filling the air, the sound of Christmas carols, and twinkling lights reflecting off snow-covered streets. These markets, which date back hundreds of years, are a festive tradition…

Christmas is right around the corner, and that means that it’s time to get the gifts for your loved ones ready! However, let’s be real here for a second – holiday shopping isn’t enjoyable at all. It’s the most stressful shopping experience that there is, actually. Coming up with creative and thoughtful gift ideas can…

The holiday season is terrifyingly close. Besides the last-minute shopping, calorie-rich meals, and office parties, there’s another thing that will mark these couple of weeks – increased traveling! But let’s be real, it’s not the type of traveling that we truly enjoy. The airports are overcrowded, flights reached peak prices, and everything is just so…

The holiday season is upon us, and for many of us, that means one thing: going back home to spend time with family and friends. It’s a time of joy, love, and reunions, and a little bit of drama. And that’s exactly what we want to tackle today. So, if you want to make your…