Christmas is clearly coming, only a few days to go and it's starting to show. (Though the weather here is not participating, regularly switching between frost and rain.)
Preparations are underway in most places with people doing whatever it is they like to do to get ready.
One of the best things about Christmas is the anticipation, especially for children.
For the adults it's probably mostly about the traditions and the heartwarming history behind them. You want to recreate the Christmas you remember and keep alive the magic it was shrouded in.
We have some QI Christmas traditions here on this barren rock floating in the North Atlantic, they may seem strange to the rest of the world but what local custom isn't? They're supposed to be a little bit out there aren't they?
For our kids it really gets interesting on the evening of the 11'th of December, that's when they start to keep one eye on the window watching the snow-drizzled-distance and one on their parents. They behave a little better, are suddenly quite willing to go straight to bed when asked and strangely... they place a shoe, or hang a sock in the window.
All this is part and parcel of the Christmas magic... the Santas are coming.
Yes, plural.
Santas. (The computer keeps trying to correct me here but I'm ignoring the bright red line trying to accept it in the Christmas spirit it is probably intended.)
And they arrive, one by one, walking into town from the distant blue and white mountains and barren highlands of far away to sneak around the towns, villages and farms to leave good, well behaved children little gifts in their shoes.
Because in Iceland we have more than one Santa, we have 13. (why settle for one?)
They stumble into our lives one at a time every day till December 24th. then they start leaving again and are all gone on January 6th.
They each have a designated day.
Ok... we don't call them Santas, we call the Jólasveinar or Yule Lads, (That's a bit old school... Christmas boys may be a better translation).
You may have heard of them... Their names reflect their personalities and their sometimes not-very-desirable personality traits.
Stekkjastaur (peg legs)
(seriously, both legs, like the sea captain from Family guy) He really likes sheep's milk and tradition has it he used to try to help himself to it.
Giljagaur (gully goon)
(He hides out in the wild and scares the sh#t out of passing strangers) He has an affinity for cows milk and supposedly steals it straight from the barn.
Stúfur (Shorty)
(picture "the little guy" from Jackass and you're on your way to understanding him) He likes to break in and grab frying pans because he really really likes the leftovers.
Þvörusleikir (ladle licker)
(This guy suffers from malnutrition and is all skin and bones) He steals kitchen utensils, especially wooden spoons, and licks the leftovers.
Pottaskefill (pot scraper)
(Short, fat and scary good at hiding in the dark corners of your kitchen at night.) Like his brother he likes the kitchen leftovers.
Askasleikir (plate licker)
(Yes him too... kitchen, nighttime, darkness, leftovers) an Askur (singular) is a wooden bowl with a lid on it that people would eat out of, the lid was to keep the dogs from getting in your food.
Hurðaskellir (Door slammer)
(He goes around slamming doors giving people heart attacks) If a door should unexpectedly slam in the night, it was probably him.
Skyrgámur (Skyr glutton)
(it's an Icelandic deary product high in protein... that says it all)
Bjúgnakrækir (Hot-dog hog)
(Best I could do) Really more of a sausage type of food but I liked the sound of the other one. He would hang around in the rafters waiting to steal sausages that were being smoked.
Gluggagægir (Window watcher)
(Ever feel like someone is out there watching you? Well he is.) You know how when it's dark outside and you have the light's on inside, you can't see anything outside? well he has a very good view of you and all your belongings and he just can't wait to get in there to steal something precious.
Gáttaþefur (Hallway sniffer)
(Huge nose and acute sense of smell.) You know how those Christmasy smells fill every room, well... he likes it too.
Ketkrókur (Meat Hook)
(He hangs around in the shadowy rafters of your kitchen waiting to strike) He doesn't just settle for smelling the food, he steals the steak off the Christmas table.
Kertasnýkir (Candle their)
Last one in.. Maybe he's afraid of the dark, but anyway he takes candles unlawfully.
They don't sound nice, but they really are.
They used to be a bunch of ruffians who harassed people in the night and stole what they needed the most, food and light.
They've since changed their way's (like a tiger it's stripes) and are the good guys now...
They are brothers who live in the mountains and only come down to civilization once a year to celebrate with the rest of us, in fact they have a whole extended family up there but they don't like to participate much any more.
Their mother is a giantess, a troll called Grýla. She is currently on a forced diet (maybe it's a hunger strike?) having been expressly forbidden to cook her favorite meal... naughty children.
That's not all...
Their father is a lazy, mean old man.
They have scores and scores of brothers and sisters who are not invited to participate in the celebrations.
Their pet is a HUGE black cat, monster really, who goes around and, yes you guessed it, eats people. But only the ones who don't get any new clothes for Christmas.
They are a scary bunch. And I'm going to make them (and their mother and their cat) out of gum-paste.
So why do they represent the Christmas spirit?
I'll tell you...
Tomorrow...
Preparations are underway in most places with people doing whatever it is they like to do to get ready.
One of the best things about Christmas is the anticipation, especially for children.
For the adults it's probably mostly about the traditions and the heartwarming history behind them. You want to recreate the Christmas you remember and keep alive the magic it was shrouded in.
We have some QI Christmas traditions here on this barren rock floating in the North Atlantic, they may seem strange to the rest of the world but what local custom isn't? They're supposed to be a little bit out there aren't they?
For our kids it really gets interesting on the evening of the 11'th of December, that's when they start to keep one eye on the window watching the snow-drizzled-distance and one on their parents. They behave a little better, are suddenly quite willing to go straight to bed when asked and strangely... they place a shoe, or hang a sock in the window.
All this is part and parcel of the Christmas magic... the Santas are coming.
Yes, plural.
Santas. (The computer keeps trying to correct me here but I'm ignoring the bright red line trying to accept it in the Christmas spirit it is probably intended.)
And they arrive, one by one, walking into town from the distant blue and white mountains and barren highlands of far away to sneak around the towns, villages and farms to leave good, well behaved children little gifts in their shoes.
Because in Iceland we have more than one Santa, we have 13. (why settle for one?)
They stumble into our lives one at a time every day till December 24th. then they start leaving again and are all gone on January 6th.
They each have a designated day.
Ok... we don't call them Santas, we call the Jólasveinar or Yule Lads, (That's a bit old school... Christmas boys may be a better translation).
You may have heard of them... Their names reflect their personalities and their sometimes not-very-desirable personality traits.
Stekkjastaur (peg legs)
(seriously, both legs, like the sea captain from Family guy) He really likes sheep's milk and tradition has it he used to try to help himself to it.
Giljagaur (gully goon)
(He hides out in the wild and scares the sh#t out of passing strangers) He has an affinity for cows milk and supposedly steals it straight from the barn.
Stúfur (Shorty)
(picture "the little guy" from Jackass and you're on your way to understanding him) He likes to break in and grab frying pans because he really really likes the leftovers.
Þvörusleikir (ladle licker)
(This guy suffers from malnutrition and is all skin and bones) He steals kitchen utensils, especially wooden spoons, and licks the leftovers.
Pottaskefill (pot scraper)
(Short, fat and scary good at hiding in the dark corners of your kitchen at night.) Like his brother he likes the kitchen leftovers.
Askasleikir (plate licker)
(Yes him too... kitchen, nighttime, darkness, leftovers) an Askur (singular) is a wooden bowl with a lid on it that people would eat out of, the lid was to keep the dogs from getting in your food.
Hurðaskellir (Door slammer)
(He goes around slamming doors giving people heart attacks) If a door should unexpectedly slam in the night, it was probably him.
Skyrgámur (Skyr glutton)
(it's an Icelandic deary product high in protein... that says it all)
Bjúgnakrækir (Hot-dog hog)
(Best I could do) Really more of a sausage type of food but I liked the sound of the other one. He would hang around in the rafters waiting to steal sausages that were being smoked.
Gluggagægir (Window watcher)
(Ever feel like someone is out there watching you? Well he is.) You know how when it's dark outside and you have the light's on inside, you can't see anything outside? well he has a very good view of you and all your belongings and he just can't wait to get in there to steal something precious.
Gáttaþefur (Hallway sniffer)
(Huge nose and acute sense of smell.) You know how those Christmasy smells fill every room, well... he likes it too.
Ketkrókur (Meat Hook)
(He hangs around in the shadowy rafters of your kitchen waiting to strike) He doesn't just settle for smelling the food, he steals the steak off the Christmas table.
Kertasnýkir (Candle their)
Last one in.. Maybe he's afraid of the dark, but anyway he takes candles unlawfully.
They don't sound nice, but they really are.
They used to be a bunch of ruffians who harassed people in the night and stole what they needed the most, food and light.
They've since changed their way's (like a tiger it's stripes) and are the good guys now...
They are brothers who live in the mountains and only come down to civilization once a year to celebrate with the rest of us, in fact they have a whole extended family up there but they don't like to participate much any more.
Their mother is a giantess, a troll called Grýla. She is currently on a forced diet (maybe it's a hunger strike?) having been expressly forbidden to cook her favorite meal... naughty children.
That's not all...
Their father is a lazy, mean old man.
They have scores and scores of brothers and sisters who are not invited to participate in the celebrations.
Their pet is a HUGE black cat, monster really, who goes around and, yes you guessed it, eats people. But only the ones who don't get any new clothes for Christmas.
They are a scary bunch. And I'm going to make them (and their mother and their cat) out of gum-paste.
So why do they represent the Christmas spirit?
I'll tell you...
Tomorrow...
Tag :
Thinking out loud
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