Meet Jólakötturinn — the Yule Cat. Most Christmas traditions are warm and jolly; after all, ’tis the season to be merry! However, in the Norse lands — particularly Iceland — folklore ...

In Iceland, though, they are highly cherished—and could even save a life. The yule cat, a creature devised for keeping children in line, roams the Icelandic countryside on Christmas Eve ...

Forget Santa: Icelandic children are visited at Christmas by 13 mischievous trolls or “Yule Lads”, the offspring ... Grýla also owns a large black cat, Jólaköttur, who prowls through ...