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Santa Clauses // Jolasveinar - Iceland
by Hallfridur
12 December
13 Days
The Icelandic jolasveinar.
The Icelandic Santa Clauses are called jolasveinar. They are different from Santa Claus in other countries. In most other countries are just one Santa Claus, but in Iceland they are 13! Their names are Stekkjarstaur, Giljagaur, Stufur, Thvorusleikir, Pottaskefill, Askasleikir, Hurdarskellir, Skyrgamur, Bjugnakraekir, Gluggagaegir, Gattathefur, Ketkrokur and Kertasnikir. In folk tales it says that they came to inhabited areas 13 days before Christmas, one each day. They was playing tricks on people. Some of them was stealing, others was just playing tricks and they cadged food, candles and other things off people.
Their mother was a terrible monster. Her name was Gryla. She was not good to children. She had a very big cat - the christmas cat. That cat walked around the country and took everybody who did not get new clothes before christmas. In the year 1746 the king of Iceland (the Danish king) said that it was forbidden to play tricks on people with telling them these folk tales.
As the time past these jolasveinar became good-natured. They kept on steeling a little and playing some tricks. Today no one is afraid of them. Now they give the children something good in their shoes. The first 13 days before Christmas and one each day until Xmas.
Hallfridur Osk Adalsteinsdottir
Hafsteinn Karlsson <hsteinn@ismennt.is>
(originally posted to KIDFORUM -Festival's project, 1992)
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