Iceland with a View

Santa Claus isn’t coming to town - The Yule Lads are! 🎄🎅 

Starting next week!

Who are the Yule Lads, you ask?

They’re  Iceland’s version of Santa Claus, except there’s no reindeer-drawn sleigh, red suit, or chimney. 


Coming from a family of trolls who reside in the highlands of Iceland, these 13 brothers share their home with their witch mother Grýla and a raggedy cat named Jólakötturinn. This infamous duo is known for their wickedness - they actually devour Icelandic children who don’t get any new clothes for Christmas! 😱

The Yule Lads travel long distances across the snowy Icelandic mountains to visit children, one at a time, in the 13 nights leading up to Christmas.

Instead of cookies and milk, Icelandic children will leave the lads’ favorite snack out and place a shoe (no stockings here!) in their window to receive a small present.

You read that right – parents of these Icelandic children have to prepare THIRTEEN presents for their kids in the THIRTEEN days leading up to Christmas! Forget about any last-minute shopping with this tradition 😅

If they were good that year, they received a regular gift. If they were bad, they got a potato. 

Are you ready to get to know these 13 quirky characters? 

The first Yule Lads comes to town TOMORROW night and I can’t wait to introduce you to him!In the days leading up to Christmas, I’ll be spotlighting each Yule Lad here on my page.

Now tell me in the comments, who else thinks Iceland has totally mastered the art of weird + wonderful Christmas traditions? 😅

The 13 Yule Lads of Iceland 🇮🇸 #shorts