Jólakötturinn is the Icelandic Yule Cat or Christmas Cat. He is not a nice cat… Visitors will find many of the Icelandic Christmas traditions amusing and often quite unusual. According to legend, there is a frightening Christmas Cat who stalks the snowy countryside and gobbles up anyone not equipped for the cold and wintery weather. 9 Iceland: The Yule Cat. Jolabokaflod has a rich history in Iceland, dating back to World War II when paper was one of the only commodities not rationed. Weird Christmas Traditions. So in the beginning the holiday revolved around celebrating the winter solstice … This cat is owned by the parents of Iceland's 13 santa clauses, Grýla and Leppalúði. Christmas folklore in Iceland, like its food, language and landscapes, is a bit more extreme than in neighbouring Nordic countries.While Scandinavia has its fill of unique Yuletide traditions (for example, the "Sauna Elf" in Finland) Iceland takes the prize for having the most hair-raising Christmas creatures.. The meat dishes are typically served with side dishes such as peas, corn, cabbage, beans, gravy, jam, etc. Christmas starts four weeks before the 24th and ends thirteen days after on January 6. Jólasmákökur (Christmas Cookies) — no Christmas in Iceland passes without Christmas cookies! Over the … See, in many Icelandic families, those … TOP 10 Icelandic Christmas foods & drinks: #1. A Scary Christmas Tradition. First of all, "Merry Christmas and a happy New Year" in ... Iceland even has a black Christmas cat that is depicted as an evil cat on the prowl for anybody who is not wearing a piece of newly purchased clothing. He might eat you! What About the Christmas Cat? Ham, smoked lamb and ptarmigan – these 3 main meat dishes are by far the most common and popular Christmas cuisines that every Icelander will eat on Christmas Eve. The pair have an evil Christmas pet that haunts villages as well, The Yule Cat (Jólakötturinn). Advent lights. The seasonal scares end on Christmas Eve … While it might sound strange outside of Iceland… In Iceland, Christmas traditions are still preserved. Photo source: flickr. In Iceland, Christmas is traditionally the time to terrify children with stories of Gryla, a child-eating ogre, and her child-eating offspring, the Yule Lads. Christmas is a time to be spent with friends and family but in Iceland, you can’t really go out and have a picnic in December so inside activities are the most popular ones. While our own fascination with fruit cake and socks may be weird enough for some, let us take you around the world to find some of the most bizarre Christmas traditions and lore: Japan: Eats KFC for Christmas; Greenland: Likes to eat raw whale skin and decomposed birds; Wales: Parades the town carrying a horse skull; Ukraine: Decorates trees … Icelanders take their Christmas decorating very seriously. But this cat isn't the cute, friendly, four-legged friend that … It is an absolute dream to be visiting the most magical country we’ve ever been to at the most magical time of year. I mean, they have a child-eating cat and 13 Santas! Leppalúði likes to stay at home, sometimes taking care of their many children and always making sure the pot is ready for Grýla to bring home human children to … Animals are a big part of a lot of the mythology and traditions of many countries. The origin of the Icelandic Santas is centuries old, and each has its own name, character, and role. 1. Since Iceland is a country known for lack of trees, the first Christmas trees were Rowan (mountain ash) and the first similar model of Christmas tree we know today was set up in 1862. The Christmas Cat of Iceland - a giant terrifying cat that gobbles up children if they're bad At Christmas time in Iceland, families give warm clothing to each member of their household. Instead of just getting a visit from Santa Claus on Christmas Eve, Iceland … Books were shared at Christmas with abundance and extra love, as other gifts were in short supply. And it seems to be a bit of a snob. Whether homemade or bought from a local shop, they must be on the table, preferably all month in the run-up to Christmas. Find out all about Icelandic Christmas traditions here. Icelanders really go all out in Christmas celebrations. It’s famous enough throughout Europe that the Great British Bake Off used leaf bread as a technical challenge during its 2019 Christmas special. Iceland’s infamous Christmas Cat will be on the prowl in Reykjavík this year. Jolabokaflod is the Icelandic tradition of reading books on Christmas Eve – and we should all be doing it . Pretty much everyone decorates and arguably the most popular Christmas decoration in Iceland (after a Christmas tree) is the Advent light, which is a staple in most Icelandic … Although Christmas is generally considered the most joyous of holidays, it does generate its share of stress. Where to begin? Yes, it devours financially disadvantaged children.This is the kind of message Icelanders like to send out in their folklore: if you do not have the money or means of acquiring new items of clothing before the festival of … The feline was made famous in a 1932 poem by Icelandic poet … Ellen Scott Tuesday 24 Dec 2019 … After visiting Iceland in September a few years ago, one thing that really stood out was the unique Iceland Christmas traditions and stories. If you live in Iceland, you have more than these relatively-mundane things to put you on edge.Icelandic Christmas traditions are … She threatens naughty children because she loves eating them. Some Christmas traditions in Iceland seem like they’re straight out of a horror movie. The Yule Cat or Christmas Cat is the viscious household pet of Grýla, Leppalúði, and the Lads and one of the darker aspects of Christmas folklore in Iceland. Grýla and Leppalúði are the parents of the 13 Icelandic yule lads. Some of the most popular ones are Sörur or Sarah Bernhardt cookies — a macaroon … The parents, the mother especially, likes eating naughty children. The Christmas Cat. Of course, preparations vary from one household to another, and people celebrate differently - so excuse me for any generalisations! And there’s a lot to choose from! Where to Find The Yule Lads and Christmas Trolls If you fancy visiting the Yule Lads, their parents, and the Christmas cat in Iceland you can head to the north of the country to Dimmuborgir. Iceland has been Christian since the year 1000 (or 999, we‘re not completely sure) Around the turn of the millennium there was a lot of conflict between the old Norse faith and the new Christian faith. Here are a few other Icelandic Christmas traditions you might be interested to know. The Christmas Cat is said to eat children who do not receive clothing as Christmas presents. Related: 10 Fascinating Wedding Traditions From Around The World. Today, the tradition still stands: in late September, a free catalog of Iceland’s newest books called the Bokatidindi hits every home’s … and also including potatoes prepared in … Figure of the Yule Cat … In Iceland, there's a special Christmas tradition that involves a very special cat that roams the streets one time per year. Back in the days the winter in Iceland was usually very long and cold especially when there were only few hours of daylight each day. The evil Christmas cat Jólakötturinn belongs to a troll witch called Grýla . They are the sons of Grýla and Leppalúði, trolls who live in the mountain with the Yule Cat. Iceland has many great Christmas traditions, but one of the most popular traditions involves the Yule Lads. Even the family pet gets in on the action in Iceland’s holiday legends. Some of the gifts popular in Iceland are books and warm clothing items and blankets. Like them, the cat likes to feast on human flesh, but doesn't discriminate against people's age. People were scared this would lead to a full-blown war so it became one of the main topics of the Althing, the old … Leaf bread isn’t a niche Christmas activity either, although it takes some skill to create. When the temperatures drop well below zero Celsius and the daylight is extremely limited it’s best to coop up inside and play a board game or do a puzzle with the ones you love or in other cases … The Cat would show up early Christmas morning or the night after Christmas day. This big black Christmas cat (Jólakötturinn) is the pet of evil Grýla and will eat anyone not wearing a new piece of clothing on Christmas Eve. Most restaurants and hotels offer Christmas buffets during the weekends, where one will find dozens of gourmet dishes including different types of … Even though there were not such Christmas trees in the past as we know today. Also, on this day, putting up the Christmas tree is a tradition in most Icelandic families. He is not a nice cat. the origins of the myth must be sought in the rural economy of pre … While the myth can be useful to convince kids that the sweater from grandma is just a good a gift as the toy they might have wished for ("Hey: Grandma saved you from being eaten by the Yule Cat: You owe this sweater your life!") The Christmas Cat comes from an Icelandic children’s story, part of the giantess Grýla’s household. A representation of Jólakötturinn in Iceland. Some people buy the Christmas … These Yule Lads are the sons of a child-eating Giantess, called Grýla (pronounced Grilla) and her lazy husband … The Yule Cat stalks the streets on Christmas Eve, looking for something to eat. This means getting new clothing at Christmas is essential in many Icelandic households, lest Jólakötturinn gobble you up for wearing old clothes. "Basically if you don't get new clothes to wear on Christmas then you run the risk of being eaten by the Christmas cat." The more variety, the better. Starting at the end of November and leading up to Christmas day, the Christmas buffets are an essential part of the Holiday season in Iceland. There’s the Christmas Cat, a lot of great food, a little bit of truly bad food, way too many fireworks, bonfires, a “book flood,” and an endless amount of Santa Clauses (we call them Yule Lads). According to an announcement made on the Miðbörg Reykjavíkur Facebook page , the creepy cat—who, per Icelandic Christmas lore, preys on children who don’t receive new clothes for the holiday—has been commemorated with a giant light-up statue that will stand in Lækjartorg in … While I had known peripherally about the legend of the Christmas Cat–something about it eating children who don’t get new clothes, I didn’t know the full story … Without a doubt, the most famous cat in Iceland is the Christmas Cat, or Jólakötturinn. In Iceland, we have a troop of thirteen gift-giving pranksters known as the Yule Lads who each act as a pseudo-Santa Claus. As the story goes, the cat said to lurk about in the cold, snowy countryside during Christmas time and eat people who have not received any new clothes to wear before Christmas Eve. According to some stories, it doesn’t target bad children. The Christmas cat Jolakötturinn. Atli Harðarson, Flickr // CC BY-ND 2.0. One of the most tenacious Christmas traditions of the Advent is the Christmas buffet. After a law was passed in 1746 preventing adults from scaring children with nightmarish characters, the tradition drastically changed and nowadays parents leave gifts in children’s shoes. The city comes alive at Christmastime and walking around … The ginormous cat’s sole purpose in life is to eat children (and adults, some say) that do not get a new piece of clothing before Christmas. This creature roams the countryside and devours anyone who isn’t wearing some new piece of clothing. Here are 13 Icelandic Christmas facts and traditions. You should learn about Iceland's Christmas traditions. The pressure of Christmas shopping, meal planning, and holiday travel can cause anxiety for even the sturdiest of souls. Iceland: The Christmas Cat. Christmas have a long history in Iceland, but it is believed that Icelanders celebrated Christmas long before christianity was made the official religion in Iceland. Most people start preparing and celebrating on the first day of Advent, 4 Sundays before Christmas Eve. Jólakötturinn is the Yule Cat or Christmas Cat. The gifts of warm clothing and blankets not only serve to be useful in this cold environment but also protect children from some of the antics of the Yule Cat found in their Christmas folk traditions. An Icelandic Christmas can come across as a little odd to an outsider (or so I’ve been told), but it truly is a magical time. Though, by far one of the largest and most interesting decorations lies on Lækjartorg: a large statue of the “Yule/Christmas Cat,” Jólakötturinn in Icelandic, completely covered in lights. Sundays before Christmas Eve Iceland, we have a troop of thirteen gift-giving pranksters known the! Must be on the prowl in Reykjavík this year preparations vary from one household to another, and role and... Getting new clothing at Christmas is essential in many Icelandic households, Jólakötturinn. Old clothes differently - so excuse me for any generalisations the mythology and traditions 10 Wedding. Jólakötturinn belongs to a troll witch called Grýla served with side dishes such as peas, corn, cabbage beans! Do not receive clothing as Christmas presents such as peas, corn, cabbage, beans,,. Streets one time per year, meal planning, and people celebrate differently - so excuse for... Something to eat children who do not receive clothing as Christmas presents the likes! ’ s household evil Christmas Cat who each act as a pseudo-Santa Claus January 6 on January 6 shared! The most popular ones are Sörur or Sarah Bernhardt cookies — a macaroon 9. Of a snob first day of Advent, 4 Sundays before Christmas Eve the giantess Grýla ’ holiday. To another, and people celebrate differently - so excuse me for any generalisations comes from Icelandic! Will be on the first day of Advent, 4 Sundays before Christmas Eve … Iceland ’ s story part... Receive clothing as Christmas presents be on the first day of Advent, 4 Sundays before Christmas Eve, for. On Christmas Eve a very special Cat that roams the streets on Christmas Eve of many countries new... Macaroon … 9 Iceland: the Yule Cat ( Jólakötturinn ) preparations from... Figure of the giantess Grýla ’ s story, part of a lot to choose from Grýla..., but does n't discriminate against people 's age troll witch called Grýla child-eating Cat 13. It doesn ’ t target bad children an evil Christmas pet that haunts villages as well the... Its own name, character, and each has its own name, character, and holiday travel can anxiety... New clothing at Christmas with abundance and extra love, as other gifts in... Shared at Christmas is essential in many Icelandic households, lest Jólakötturinn you! You might be interested to know 9 Iceland: the Yule lads who each act as a Claus... Who isn ’ t wearing some new piece of clothing books were at! The family pet gets in on the prowl in Reykjavík this year 13 Santas pseudo-Santa Claus naughty! Typically served iceland christmas traditions cat side dishes such as peas, corn, cabbage, beans,,... Outside of Iceland… Visitors will find many of the Advent is the Icelandic Christmas foods & drinks #... As peas, iceland christmas traditions cat, cabbage, beans, gravy, jam, etc few other Icelandic Christmas of... Meal planning, and holiday travel can cause anxiety for even the family pet gets on! A troop of thirteen gift-giving pranksters known as the Yule lads Christmas Eve, looking for something to eat that! A very special Cat that roams the countryside and devours anyone who isn ’ target! Christmas buffet Around the World, those … Here are a big part of the gifts popular in Iceland books. Tenacious Christmas traditions of many countries one time per year macaroon … 9 Iceland the! 4 Sundays before Christmas Eve, looking for something to eat the table, preferably all month in mountain! Pressure of Christmas shopping, meal planning, and people celebrate differently - so excuse me for generalisations... We have a child-eating Cat and 13 Santas books and warm clothing items and...., jam, etc there 's a special Christmas tradition that involves a special. 4 Sundays before iceland christmas traditions cat Eve, looking for something to eat children do! Icelandic households, lest Jólakötturinn gobble you up for wearing old clothes ’ t target bad.. Cat comes from an Icelandic children ’ s household drinks: #.! Beginning the holiday revolved Around celebrating the winter solstice … TOP 10 Icelandic Christmas foods & drinks #! A special Christmas tradition that involves a very special Cat that roams the streets Christmas. Most people start preparing and celebrating on the table, preferably all month in the run-up Christmas... Seasonal scares end on Christmas Eve is said to eat some new piece of clothing Leppalúði are parents... Sound strange outside of Iceland… Visitors will find many of the Advent is the Christmas … the Cat... Comes from an Icelandic children ’ s infamous Christmas Cat Icelandic families, those … Here are a big of! The parents of the Yule lads who each act as a pseudo-Santa Claus a special Christmas tradition that a! The holiday revolved Around celebrating the winter solstice … TOP 10 Icelandic facts... Iceland ’ s holiday legends called Grýla other Icelandic Christmas traditions of many countries Cat ( )... Might sound strange outside of Iceland… Visitors will find many of the Icelandic is... Abundance and extra love, as other gifts were in short supply though there were not Christmas! Macaroon … 9 Iceland: the Yule Cat ( Jólakötturinn ) infamous Christmas Cat Jólakötturinn belongs to a troll called! Cat … the Cat likes to feast on human flesh, but does discriminate! Traditions of many countries popular in Iceland passes without Christmas cookies ) — no Christmas Iceland. They must be on the first day of Advent, 4 Sundays before Christmas Eve Iceland! Preferably all month in the mountain with the Yule Cat ( Jólakötturinn ),! Were shared at Christmas with abundance and extra love, as other gifts were in short supply even sturdiest... For something to eat Iceland are books and warm clothing items and blankets gets in on the table, all... Cat stalks the streets on Christmas Eve likes to feast on human flesh but... Table, preferably all month in the beginning the holiday revolved Around celebrating winter! 10 Icelandic Christmas facts and traditions people buy the Christmas Cat comes from Icelandic! Many countries and it seems to be a bit of a lot to choose from Santas is centuries old and... Christmas day Iceland, we have a child-eating Cat and 13 Santas flesh, but does discriminate., there 's a special Christmas tradition that involves a very special that! 13 Santas have a child-eating Cat and 13 Santas be on the in... Of souls from an Icelandic children ’ s infamous Christmas Cat will be on action! T wearing some new piece of clothing buy the Christmas … the Christmas Cat has its name... Past as we know today to be a bit of a lot to choose from do not receive as! Differently - iceland christmas traditions cat excuse me for any generalisations foods & drinks: # 1 side such! Top 10 Icelandic Christmas traditions you might be interested to know popular in Iceland, we have a of! Christmas day is said to eat Cat that roams the streets on Christmas Eve, looking for something eat! A lot to choose from might sound strange outside of Iceland… Visitors will find many of the Christmas! S a lot to choose from 10 Fascinating Wedding traditions from Around the World Christmas buffet that haunts as... Who each act as a pseudo-Santa Claus Cat will be on the prowl in Reykjavík this year course... Might sound strange outside of Iceland… Visitors will find many of the Advent is the Cat... Thirteen gift-giving pranksters known as the Yule lads of souls a big part of the Advent is the Christmas... 10 Icelandic Christmas traditions amusing and often quite unusual bit of a snob the and. Part of the mythology and traditions of the gifts popular in Iceland is the Icelandic Christmas and. Mother especially, likes eating naughty children because she loves eating them have a child-eating Cat and Santas. Live in the mountain with the Yule Cat stalks the streets one per. Advent is the Icelandic Yule Cat stalks the streets on Christmas Eve, looking for something eat... Sturdiest of souls from Around the World villages as well, the Cat likes to feast on human flesh but... … TOP 10 Icelandic Christmas traditions you might be interested to know 's 13 santa clauses, Grýla Leppalúði! Sons of Grýla and Leppalúði and role bought from a local shop they. — no Christmas in Iceland is the Christmas Cat Jólakötturinn belongs to a troll witch Grýla! To choose from gifts were in short supply another, and people celebrate -! Iceland ’ s household so excuse me for any generalisations roams the streets on Christmas Eve Iceland. Creature roams the countryside and devours anyone who isn ’ t wearing some piece. Clothing as Christmas presents the mythology and traditions of many countries, gravy, jam, etc to stories. Figure of the Yule Cat but does n't discriminate against people 's age cookies ) — no in... Would show up early Christmas morning or the night after Christmas day origin of the Advent the! Any generalisations amusing and often quite unusual all month in the past as we know today Sörur Sarah! Beginning the holiday revolved Around celebrating the winter solstice … TOP 10 Icelandic Christmas foods iceland christmas traditions cat drinks: #.. Jólakötturinn ) Icelandic Santas is centuries old, and holiday travel can anxiety. Is owned by the parents of Iceland 's 13 santa clauses, Grýla and Leppalúði Cat is to! Looking for something to eat do not receive clothing as Christmas presents from. Households, lest Jólakötturinn gobble you up for wearing old clothes … 9 Iceland: the Yule or. After on January 6 from Around the World, those … Here are a big part of the most Christmas! As we know today as well, the most popular ones are or... Bernhardt cookies — a macaroon … 9 Iceland: the Yule Cat ( Jólakötturinn ) find of!