Yuletide Lads a.k.a. "Creepy Santas"

My friend L. forwarded me an email from the Icelandic Tourist Board and in it was this little gem of a media quote:

ABC - Good Morning America
December 19, 2004
“… In Iceland, there are 13 Santas. Instead of bringing gifts, they take turns sneaking into town and creeping out the locals. The 13 Santas live in the mountains with their troll-like mother and her giant cat, which eats all the children who don't receive new clothes for Christmas. They party for 13 nights, and then things really get interesting. "That's when people come out of their graves," said Iceland native Hoffy Steingrimdottir. "Seals take on human form. And cows develop human speech." The moral of the story? It doesn't matter what you believe as long as you believe. The other moral of the story? They've got some good hooch in Iceland.

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Those "creepy Santas," by the way, are actually called Yuletide Lads and have fascinating names (translated) like Gully Imp and Pot Licker. To learn about Iceland, go here: http://www.goiceland.org/

A very Merry Christmas to all who celebrate it and best wishes for a happy & healthy new year to everyone!