This is none other than
Jólakötturinn – the Christmas Cat
– of Iceland. According to legends, the Christmas or Yule Cat is a monstrously huge black cat that only appears at Christmas Eve, when little children are sound asleep, dreaming of the glitter of the Christmas Tree and what marvellous gifts lie under it.
Where does the Yule Cat come from?
The story of the Jólakötturinn, the Yule Cat, originated at some point during the Dark Ages, though the oldest written accounts are from the 19th century. The story goes like this: In
Medieval Iceland
, employers rewarded their employees and members of their household with new clothes and sheepskin shoes.
Who is Jola the Yule Cat?
Iceland’s
Jólakötturinn
, or ‘Jola’ the Yule Cat, warned lazy children — or the offspring of unproductive employees — would be eaten by a monster feline, which has roots hundreds of years back, and popularized by a poem by Johannes ur Kotlum.
What is the Christmas cat in Iceland?
The Icelandic version of the Christmas cat is the opposite of cute and snuggly. Known as
Jólaköttur
, this enormous and terrifying feline is part of a Yuletide folkore that includes a fierce ogress, mysterious elves and prankster Yule Lads.
What is Iceland’s Christmas monster called?
While Krampus may be king of holiday scares, his fans may be overlooking an equally nasty, much more formidable queen—a Christmas monster who lives further north, in the frigid climes of Iceland who goes by the name
Grýla
Is the Yule Cat male or female?
In post-medieval Icelandic folklore, Grýla
What is Yule Cat name?
That’s because
the Jólakötturinn
, or Yule Cat, eats anyone who hasn’t received new clothes by the time Christmas rolls around, Matthew Hart writes for Nerdist. The story of the Jólakötturinn likely dates back to the Dark Ages, though the oldest written accounts are from the 19th century.
Who are the Yule Lads exactly?
The Yule Lads are
the sons of Gryla and Leppaludi
. They are a group of 13 mischievous pranksters who steal from or harass the population and all have descriptive names that convey their favorite way of harassing. They come to town one by one during the last 13 nights before Christmas (Yule).
Why are there 13 days of Christmas in Iceland rather than 12?
After the 24th of December,
the Yule Lads head back to their home, one by one
. So the first one to arrive leaves on Christmas Day, and then one by one, they head to the highlands until the Holiday Season is officially over. That day is called ‘The Thirteenth’ or ‘Þrettándinn’ – referred to in English as ‘Twelfth Night.
Where does the Yule Cat Live?
Families in
Iceland
work together to ensure nobody will “go to the Christmas Cat”. This terrifying Christmas Cat is also referred to as the Yule Cat. The idea is that families gift each other new and warm clothes for the winter, and make the Yule cat an offering of some warm weather gear.
What country has the Christmas Witch?
Only in
Italy
do the witches bring gifts to children. That’s La Befana, a broom-flying, kindly witch who effectively takes over from Santa–in Italy, “Babbo Natale”—about two weeks after Christmas on Epiphany to deliver gifts to the good, and ash to the bad.
What is a gully gawk?
Gully Gawk is
used to drinking the creamy froth off the top of buckets of cow’s milk
but now he can hardly find any buckets of cow’s milk and is forced to venture outside to try to get some milk from the horses instead.
Who believes in the Christmas Witch?
The legend of Befana began thousands of years ago and remains to this day a tradition practised by
Italian children and their families
. As the story goes, one day, the three Magi left their country bearing special gifts of gold, incense and myrrh for the new-born Jesus Christ.
Why were the Yule Lads created?
The characteristics of the Yule lads, which appear in names like Sausage Swiper, Meat Hook, Skyr Gobbler, offer another hint to their origin
as reminders that people must take care of scarce foods during winter.
Why is yule lads celebrated?
Early on the number and depiction of Yule Lads varied greatly depending on location, with each individual Lad ranging from a mere prankster to a homicidal monster who eats children. They were
used to frighten children into good behaviour
, similar to the bogeyman.
