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Jon Heidar, Editor of Stuck in Iceland Travel Magazine
The horrible Icelandic Yule lads were a gruesome bunch of trolls that terrorized children and stole food from hungry peasants around Christmas. Their parents were the horrible ogre Grýla who ate naughty children and her bedridden lazy no-good husband Leppaludi. And there was their pet, the Icelandic Christmas cat. This cannibalistic abomination was the probably worst of the horrible creature that haunted my forebears.
Is it a goat? No, it is the Icelandic Christmas cat!
The Icelandic Christmas cat is first mentioned in written records from the 19th century so he seems in that sense to be a more recent creation than the Yule lads. But it is no less cruel. The Christmas is ‘related’ to Scandinavian ‘Christmas beasts.’ The Norwegian ‘Yule Goat’ is one example. Christmas in the Nordics is like a regular zoo.
The terror of poor children
Anyway, the Christmas cat modus operandi is to observe people and especially children in the advent of Christmas. This terrible cat would hunt and devour those who did not produce clothing for Christmas. The term for this horrible fate was simply to be ‘be claimed by the Christmas cat.’
Make that new shirt or be torn apart by a cannibal cat
Children were of course ‘inspired’ by this terrible threat. They would work diligently before Christmas to ensure that they would at least get a pair of socks or mittens. Stories about the Yule Lads or the Christmas cat were nothing more than ways of social control. Behave or a troll will terrorize you or a cat will eat you. Superstition was rife in Iceland in the past. So imagine the terror of poor children who didn’t get a new piece of clothing for Christmas.
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I am not afraid of the Christmas cat. Really
And for modern Icelanders, most of making sure we got something new for Christmas. I always get myself a new shirt, just in case. And here is the renowned singer Björk singing about the hellish Christmas cat.
Sponsored link: Custom Icelandic Christmas Cat Pin
The Icelandic Christmas cat pattern is a traditional Icelandic Christmas pattern. Applying this characteristic element to a pin on EnamelPins.com can be used as a clothing accessory or given as a gift to others. It can not only increase its fun and uniqueness, but also make it more fun and unique. You can feel the charm of Icelandic culture in your life, bringing pleasure and novelty, adding to the Christmas atmosphere.
