Inspired by the book of verses by Jóhannes úr Kötlum, Yuletide is coming, that tells the story of Grýla and her children, the 13 Yule lads: Stekkjarstaur, Giljagaur, Stúfur, Þvörusleikir, Pottasleikir, Askasleikir, Hurðaskellir, Skyrgámur, Bjúgnakrækir, Gluggagægir, Gáttaþefur, Ketkrókur, and Kertasníkir. Each of the Yule lads sets off from the family home in the Highlands and travels on foot over the mountains, making their individual appearances one after the other, on the thirteen nights before Christmas.

The Legend of the Yule Lads is well-known among Icelanders and has been passed down from generation to generation for over 1,500 years. The country's rich history of legends and folktales featuring a host of mystical creatures is reflected in this unique Christmas tale about trolls. However, like many of Iceland's legends, the story of the Yule Lads is virtually unknown outside of the country. This particular story can be traced back to 13th Century and the Snorri Sturlson's Edda. The Edda refers to the recognized mother of the Yule Lad's, a horrible ogress named Gryla. In that time, Gryla and her many troll offspring were said to terrorize children, hauling badly behaved children off in great burlap bags to be later eaten. The tales of Gryla and the Yule Lads became so gruesome and disturbing that in 1746 a public decree was issued to forbid parents from using these stories to terrify children. In the years since, the Yule Lads' character has been softened from horrible trolls to mischievous tricksters. As the legend goes, the Yule Lads come down from the mountain, one each day starting 13 days before Christmas. They stay through Christmas Day, then leave, one each day, in the order they arrived. In 1932, a popular poem was written about the Jolasveinarnir [Yule Lads] by Johannes from Kotlum and it first appeared in the book Jolin Koma [Christmas is coming]. As presented in Johannes poem, each of the Yule Lad's name reflects their particular brand of mischief. Stekkjastaur (Sheep Cote Clod) starts things off on December 12th and is best known for stealing sheep's milk. Giljagaur (Gulley-Gawk) arrives the next day and is preoccupied with sneaking into the barn to steal cow's milk. Stufur (Shorty) steals bits of food left on frying pans while Thvorusleikir (Spoon-licker) steals spoons from the kitchen to lick and Pottasleikir (Pot-licker) steals pots and pans for the leftovers. Askasleikir (Bowl-licker) arrives next and sneak awa

The Yule Lads have been around for many years, their story unchanged. They are a major part of the holiday season in Iceland. What I have done here is to reinterpret them, through the eyes of an outsider, and to modernize them, just a little. With my original text polished by Editor Jose M. Tirado, the Yule Lads are brought to life with all new, all original illustrations by Danya Esposito. Soon to be a holiday classic...

A modernized version of the Icelandic Yule Lads folk tale. After accidentally being seen by a human, Stekkjastaur finds he must rely on a young shepherd boy to keep his secret. He gives a gift to protect his troll reputation, but the little boy's happiness made him happy as well. He learns that one of the greatest gifts you can receive is the joy in giving to someone else. One by one, the Yule Lads each take a break from his own mischief, and each one learns the happiness gained from gift-giving. Even from a source as unlikely as a troll, a selfish act wrapped up in the Christmas spirit can grow into something wonderful.FULLY ILLUSTRATED

The Icelandic Yule Lads modern-day misadventures through Scandinavia put them in hot water with Santa. A traditional Icelandic folktales with a new twist and warmhearted Christmas themes, this is a wonderful addition to any holiday story collection.

A gleefully dark and well-researched exploration of the history and customs of European Yuletide folklore. How did St Nicholas save children from cannibalism? Who were the Yule Lads and why would they steal your sausages? Why was the Alpine Father Christmas accompanied by a demonic figure called the Krampus who bundled children into sacks and dragged them off to Hell? And why do Spanish nativity scenes often feature a defecating peasant? Over the course of the 20th Century, a universal image developed around the world of Santa Claus as a kindly Christmas visitor but, prior to that, each country, town and community would have Christmas visitors of their own - sometimes human, sometimes animal, sometimes something else entirely - with their own curious set of mythology and customs. The Finns were visited by a pagan goat named Joulupukki that was said to eat anyone who misbehaved. In Iceland, it was said that any child who did not receive an item of new clothing for Christmas would be caught and consumed by the monstrous Christmas Cat! Bad Santascelebrates some of the most imaginative, terrifying and outright curious Christmas figures from across Europe - looking closely at its legacy of disquieting fairy stories. With beautiful black and white line drawings in each chapter, this unusual, entertaining and gleefully dark exploration of seasonal folklore will make an ideal Christmas gift and the perfect book for reading around the fireside.