Icelanders have 13 Santas! Wow, that's a lot of presents, you might think... But the Icelandic Santas are a little bit naughty. They steal sausages, lick the porridge bowls and scare the sheep ...
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ShareThe Icelandic Santa Claus
The Icelandic elves come down from the mountains before Christmas. The first of them (Stekkjastaur) comes today, 12 December. Then one comes every day, until they all arrive on Christmas Eve.
After Christmas Eve, the elves disappear one by one and when they are all gone, 13 days after Christmas, a big bonfire is lit to celebrate their absence! The elves' parents are Gryla and Leppaludi, two evil goblins who eat disobedient children ...
The 13 Santas
Here is a list of the 13 Icelandic Santas, and the date they arrive:
- 12 December: Stekkjastaur (Klumpfoten)
- 13 December: Giljagaur (The Gorge Tomb)
- 14 December: Stúfur (Stump)
- 15 December: Þvörusleikir (Slevslickaren).
- 16 December: Pottaskefill (Kastrullkraparen)
- 17 December: Askasleikir (The Bowl Lick)
- 18 December: Hurðaskellir (The Door Slammer)
- 19 December: Skyrgámur (Filglupsken)
- 20 December: Bjúgnakrækir (The Raven Thief)
- 21 December: Gluggagægir (the Spaniard)
- 22 December: Gáttaþefur (The Snuffer)
- 23 December: Ketkrókur (Köttkorpen)
- 24 December: Kertasníkir (Light Tiger)
Read more about Icelandic traditions
As well as having 13 Santas, Icelandic Christmas food is different from Swedish Christmas food. Iceland also celebrates another exciting holiday called Þorrablót. This old traditional holiday is celebrated in February, and involves eating food that is much more special than what is eaten at Christmas.
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Henny Lindgren says:
I ended up on your site by pure coincidence and couldn't help but "steal" the post about the Icelandic gnomes. I have of course linked back to you. Have a nice Christmas holiday with a nice Swedish Santa 😀.
12 December 2009 - 21:24
Veiken says:
Fortunately, Iceland is an island at a safe distance, so the elves stay where they belong - in Iceland, that is. Have a nice Lucia!
13 December 2009 - 10:50
Johanna SIljehagen says:
How wonderful to have different traditions.
13 December 2009 - 16:55
Emmy says:
Scary with 13 gnomes!? Fun thing otherwise, had no idea about it 🙂 ðŸ™'
15 December 2009 - 22:22
Bára Ragnarsdóttir says:
Hi, just wanted to comment on this story about our Santas. They are not just mean. Today's Santas give the children presents in their shoes which they put in the window in the evening. If they have been good they get a present but if they have been bad they get a potato.
MVH Bára
28 March 2010 - 12:13
admin says:
Thanks Bára, for the addition and clarification!
😉
28 March 2010 - 12:24
s says:
Jólasveinnar heter de á islénsku
14 December 2010 - 23:17
admin says:
S, exactly right. Why do you know?
15 December 2010 - 8:34