Thursday, November 15, 2007

Old Santa Clauses

Santa Clause, Santa Clauses or Yule lads, Santa's older Icelandic uncles - Old Santa क्लौसेस

Santa´s older Icelandic uncles that you can read about here, where not so friendly as the Santa that we know to day. But during the years they have become tender, and are nowadays very popular among everyone, since they are kind and nice like their nephew.



Where else apart from Iceland could Santa Claus - or the Santa Clauses, there are 13 of them - possibly live? It's a no-brainier really, isn't it! High up in the mountains, the Santa's' home is surrounded by stupendous glaciers and grumbling volcanoes. They come down from the mountains, one each day, on the 13 days before Christmas:

December 20, 2006

Sausage Snatcher ( Bjugnakraekir )


Ninth to arrive is the great Sausage Snatcher, Bjugnakraekir we like to call him. He is very skillful when it comes to climbing up into the rafters to steal sausages where it hangs after being smoked. He shows up at 20th of December

December 19, 2006

Curd Glutton ( Skyrgamur )


Then the number eight is Curd Glutton who comes on the 19th of December. Dairy products are his favorite and if stored in closed wooden barrels, he simply breaks through the lid with his fist. Skyrgámur is his Icelandic name

December 18, 2006

Door Slammer ( Hurdaskellir )


The seventh to arrive on the 18th of December is Door Slammer. He gets his kicks from slamming doors and making noise, using every chance he gets to disturb peoples sleep. He is named Hurðaskellir

December 17, 2006

Bowl Licker ( Askasleikir )


Number six is Bowl Licker, better known in Iceland as Askasleikir. Very cunningly he finds bowls that have been left unattended and finishes all food from them. The 17th of December we can expect to see him

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December 16, 2006

Pot Scraper ( Pottaskefill )


The fifth to arrive is Pot Scraper, or Pottaskefill as we like to call him. He snatches the unwashed pots from the kitchen and scrapes the insides with his fingers and tongue and leaves them quite clean. He visit us on the 16th of December.

December 15, 2006

Paddle Licker ( Thvorusleikir )


Then there is the fourth one, Paddle Licker, so thin he resembles the paddles which he licks the food from. Þvörusleikir is his name and he is with us on the 15th of December

December 14, 2006

Shorty ( Stufur )


The third one in the row is the Yule lad Shorty, small and nimble and smacks his lips over the leftovers in the cooking pans, especially if they have burn or gone bad. Stúfur is his Icelandic name, and he arrives on the 14th of December

December 13, 2006

Gully Guy ( Giljagaur )


On the 13th of December the second one to honour us with his presence is the infamous Gully Guy. He has a taste for the froth on the milk and keeps him self close to the cows. In Iceland we know him as Giljagaur.

December 12, 2006

Fence Post Pal ( Stekkjastaur )


The first Yule lad to arrive is Fence Post Pal. He loves to suck milk from the sheep, but his stiff legs make that very difficult. In Icelandic he's named Stekkjastaur and he pays us a visit on the 12th of December.

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