The Yule Lads: 13 Iceland's Mischievous Christmas Characters

Origins and History of the Yule Lads

The Yule Lads come from old Icelandic stories that started hundreds of years ago—some say as early as the 13th century, when people told tales about trolls and giants. In the past, they were frightening troublemakers who roamed the cold countryside, sneaking into homes and farms during winter. They are the children of an ogress named Grýla and her husband Leppalúði, who’s just lazy. Early stories made them sound more like monsters than the characters we know today. In the 1600s, parents used them to scare children into behaving well, so it wasn’t really about gifts.

Over time, this changed. By the 1700s, people began writing down these stories, and the Yule Lads became less scary. A big change came in the 1930s when Jóhannes úr Kötlum wrote a poem that gave them their 13 names and made them gift-givers for children. This mixed old Icelandic traditions with new holiday ideas from other countries. Their stories show Iceland’s hard past—cold winters, small farms, and finding ways to laugh through it.

Fun fact: long ago, the number of Lads wasn’t fixed—some stories had more, some had fewer—until 13 matched the days before Christmas.

Picture: https://www.flickr.com/photos/joeshlabotnik/

Meet the Yule Lads: Who Are They?

Starting December 12, one Yule Lad arrives each night until December 24, Christmas Eve. Children put a shoe in their window, hoping for candy or a small gift. If they’ve been naughty, they get a potato instead. After arriving, the Yule Lads leave one by one in the same order, starting December 25. The first to come, Sheep-Cote Clod, leaves first. The last one, Candle-Stealer, goes back to the mountains on January 6, called Epiphany. This makes 13 days of visits, coming and going. Here are the 13 characters and what they do:

1. Sheep-Cote Clod (Stekkjastaur)

Arrives: December 12

Leaves: December 25

Sheep-Cote Clod is the tallest Yule Lad. He sneaks into barns to bother sheep and steal their milk. His peg legs make him unsteady, so he’s not very fast or quiet. In old Iceland, sheep were important for milk and wool, especially in winter. This story might have reminded children to help watch the animals.

2. Gully Gawk (Giljagaur)

Arrives: December 13

Leaves: December 26

Gully Gawk hides in gullies near farms, waiting for a chance to run to the barn and drink cow milk. He’s sneaky and waits until people aren’t looking. Milk was valuable for families in winter long ago. His tale could have encouraged children to keep an eye on it.

3. Stubby (Stúfur)

Arrives: December 14

Leaves: December 27

Stubby is the smallest Lad. He takes pans from kitchens to eat the crusts left on them after cooking. His short size lets him slip into small spaces to find leftovers. In the past, wasting food wasn’t common, and this might have shown children the value of eating everything,

4. Spoon-Licker (Þvörusleikir)

Arrives: December 15

Leaves: December 28

Spoon-Licker is thin and always hungry. He licks wooden spoons clean after people use them. He’s known for being fast, grabbing spoons before they’re washed. This could have reminded children to clean things up quickly.

5. Pot-Scraper (Pottaskefill)

Arrives: December 16

Leaves: December 29

Pot-Scraper takes pots from the kitchen and scrapes up any leftover food he finds inside. He’s good at getting every last bit, leaving the pots empty. In old Iceland, food was precious in winter. This story might have encouraged children to save every scrap of food.

6. Bowl-Licker (Askasleikir)

Arrives: December 17

Leaves: December 30

Bowl-Licker hides under beds to lick clean wooden bowls called “askur.” These bowls were used for meals long ago, and he waits for someone to leave one out. This might have reminded children to put things away.

7. Door-Slammer (Hurðaskellir)

Arrives: December 18

Leaves: December 31

Door-Slammer slams doors at night to wake people up. He likes the noise and doesn’t care who he bothers. In the past, winters were long and quiet in Iceland. This could have been a way to tell children to stay calm and behave at night.

8. Skyr-Gobbler (Skyrgámur)

Arrives: December 19

Leaves: January 1

Skyr-Gobbler likes skyr, Iceland’s creamy yogurt, and takes it from kitchens whenever he can. Skyr was a special food in Iceland, made from milk and stored for winter. His love for it might have reminded children to protect this treat.

9. Sausage-Swiper (Bjúgnakrækir)

Arrives: December 20

Leaves: January 2

Sausage-Swiper climbs up to steal smoked sausages hanging in houses. These sausages were important in old Iceland, made to last through winter. He’s good at reaching high spots. This might have encouraged children to keep food safe.

10. Window-Peeper (Gluggagægir)

Arrives: December 21

Leaves: January 3

Window-Peeper looks through windows to find things to take. He’s nosy and watches houses to see what’s inside. In the dark winter long ago, homes needed to stay private. This could have reminded children to close the doors and shutters.

11. Doorway-Sniffer (Gáttaþefur)

Arrives: December 22

Leaves: January 4

Doorway-Sniffer has a big nose that smells of fresh-baked leaf bread, and he takes it when he finds it. Leaf bread is a thin, decorated bread made for Christmas in Iceland. This story might have encouraged children to watch holiday treats.

12. Meat-Hook (Ketkrókur)

Arrives: December 23

Leaves: January 5

Meat-Hook uses a hook to grab smoked meat, especially lamb, from houses. Smoked lamb was a traditional Christmas food, hung up to dry for the season. This could have reminded children to guard the meat for the family, but it’s really about his hook and meat-taking.

13. Candle-Stealer (Kertasníkir)

Arrives: December 24

Leaves: January 6

Candle-Stealer follows children to take their candles, which were made of tallow you could eat long ago. Candles also gave light in the dark winter. This might have encouraged children not to waste them, though it’s mostly about his stealing and the end of the Yule Lad visits.

Picture by: https://www.flickr.com/photos/tsdesign/

The Yule Lads’ Family: Meet Grýla, Leppalúði, and the Yule Cat

The Yule Lads have a family that adds a spooky aspect to Iceland’s Christmas traditions. Here are Grýla, Leppalúði, and the Yule Cat, three figures that make these tales even more intriguing.

Grýla

Grýla is the mother of the Yule Lads. She’s an ogress who lives in a mountain cave—some say near the Dimmuborgir lava fields. At Christmas, she comes down to find naughty children, puts them in a sack, takes them home, and cooks them in a pot for stew. It’s a frightening story. She’s described with horns, claws, and many tails—sometimes dozens—which makes her look like a monster from the mountains.

In the 13th century, Grýla frightened people all year, not just during Christmas. She would take children or ruin crops whenever she pleased. Over time, she became part of the Yule season, watching over the Lads. By the 1700s, her story was so powerful that Iceland’s leaders tried to prevent parents from using her to scare children, but she remained in the tales. Today, she has transformed into a spooky figure for entertainment. You might see her in holiday parades with her sack, reminding everyone of her old, strict ways.

Fun fact: Old poems say she had 300 heads to spot naughty children from all sides.

Leppalúði

Leppalúði is Grýla’s husband and the father of the Yule Lads. He’s very lazy and stays in their cave while Grýla works. His name means “ragged” or “shabby,” and he’s shown as a scruffy, troll-like giant in worn clothes, too tired to join the holiday trouble. Some stories say he helps Grýla with the children she catches, but he mainly rests.

In early tales, Leppalúði wasn’t significant—just a helper to Grýla. As the Yule Lads became a larger story, he transformed into their father, adding a touch of humor. He hasn’t changed much because he’s always been laid-back, allowing Grýla and the Lads to take the lead. He’s like someone who would rather stay indoors than run around in the snow.

Fun fact: Some say his laziness represents Iceland’s long, dark winters, when staying indoors was common.

The Yule Cat (Jólakötturinn)

The Yule Cat, or Jólakötturinn, is the family’s large pet. It roams across Iceland on Christmas Eve, searching for anyone—children or adults—who hasn’t received new clothes for the holiday. If you don’t have something new, it might eat you. It has glowing eyes and sharp claws and is big enough to tower over houses. This tale encourages people to complete winter tasks, like knitting, before the cold arrives.

The Yule Cat first appeared in stories around the 1800s, but it probably began earlier as an oral tale. Long ago, it was a real warning—Icelanders needed wool to stay warm, and new clothes indicated that you had worked hard in the fall. If you didn’t, the Cat would come for you. Today, it’s a fun tradition, similar to a hint to get new socks. You’ll find it on Christmas cards or decorations, looking both strong and festive.

Fun fact: Unlike Grýla, the Yule Cat doesn’t mind if you’re naughty—just if you wear old clothes.

Together, Grýla, Leppalúði, and the Yule Cat make Icelandic Christmas special with a mix of spooky and fun elements.

Modern-Day Yule Lads: How Iceland Celebrates Today

Today, the Yule Lads are a happy part of Iceland’s Christmas, though their role has changed. Long ago, they caused mischief—like stealing food or slamming doors—to remind children to behave when winters were hard. Parents might say, “Be careful, or Sheep-Cote Clod will take your sheep!” It was a way to get children to help at home. As Iceland became safer and more modern, the Lads turned into holiday figures. By the 1900s, they began giving gifts instead of trouble, taking some ideas from Santa Claus but keeping their Icelandic style.

Now, they bring fun before Christmas. From December 12 to 24, children put shoes in their windows each night, waiting for what the next Lad leaves. Good children get candy or small toys; naughty ones get a potato, which is more of a joke. You’ll see the Lads at Christmas events, dressed in red and white like Santa, taking photos or giving treats. Reykjavík gets festive, and some towns have them “come down” from the mountains, acting out old tricks in a friendly way. They’re not about fear anymore—just sharing Iceland’s holiday spirit with families and visitors.

Where to Experience the Yule Lads in Iceland

Planning a winter trip? Rent a car with us and visit these places to see the Yule Lads:

• Reykjavík: The city has Christmas markets, like at Ingólfstorg, where the Yule Lads might appear. It’s a nice place for children, as they can enjoy the holiday feel.
• Árbær Open Air Museum: This place sometimes holds Yule Lad events, showing old Icelandic traditions.
• Dimmuborgir: Drive to this lava field near Lake Mývatn—stories say Grýla lives here. It’s a good spot to feel the folklore that impregnates Iceland.

Try family activities like baking leaf bread (to please Doorway-Sniffer) or buying new socks (to avoid the Yule Cat).

Conclusion

The Yule Lads are an important part of Iceland’s Christmas traditions. They bring humor, a bit of spookiness, and lots of charm. If you’re visiting Iceland this winter, rent a car and explore the fun—meet the Lads, avoid the Yule Cat, and enjoy a holiday unlike others. These characters keep Iceland’s festive spirit going, one night at a time.