The Yule Lads

IcelandAir

Did you know thirteen trolls visit Icelandic children at Christmas? Good boys and girls find gifts in their shoes, while bad ones receive potatoes. The trolls, called the Yule Lads, were children of Gryla and Leppaludi. Originally, they and the monster Yule Cat were used to scare children into good behavior; however, as Santa Claus influenced them, they became more pranksters than mean spirits. Their names indicate how they act: Spoon-Licker, Pot-Scraper, Bowl-Licker, Door-Slammer, Sausage-Swiper, and Doorway-Sniffer, to name a few. Window Peeper looks through windows for items to steal and Candle Beggar takes candles, which used to be edible.