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    Icelandic Christmas Traditions

    The Icelandic Christmas period is an intriguing mixture of religious practice and traditional folklore. As many countries do, Iceland celebrates Christmas (Jól in Icelandic) mostly with good food and presents to loved ones, but unlike most countries that only have a single Father Christmas/Santa Claus character, Icelandic children are fortunate enough to be visited by [...]
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    Meet Iceland’s 13 Santa Clauses – The Yule Lads

    Like our food, language and landscapes, Icelandic Christmas folklore is a bit extreme. Instead of getting a visit from Santa Claus on Christmas Eve, Iceland has the 13 Yule Lads (Jólasveinar) who in mid-December start descending one by one from their mountain home to wreak mischief in the nights leading up to Christmas (Jól). The [...]