In Icelandic folklore, Jólakötturinn is the companion of a family of trolls, sometimes called the Yule Lads, who played mean tricks on people. Their mother, Grýla, is a particularly nasty piece of work, being half troll and half ogre, who is said to kidnap bad children and make stew out of them. Iceland has a lot of weird folk-tales about creatures like trolls and elves, the huldufólk. The Jólakötturinn legend probably began when Iceland started exporting wool in the Middle Ages, and it became vital to the Icelandic economy and survival. During this time, wool-related chores, mainly spinning and weaving, were the responsibility of the entire household. Christmas gifts usually were just some small piece of clothing, but that was only possible if everyone had participated in the production of wool and done their fair share of the work. Because Jólakötturinn only eats people who do not receive new clothes, he likely emerged as a response to the importance of wool production, scaring people into finishing their work.
But they love real cats in Iceland; Reykjavík is a cat-lover's paradise. https://guidetoiceland.is/connect-with-locals/nanna/iceland-s-christmas-cat-and-cats-of-reykjavik There is even a Facebook page, Spotted A Cat, where people post pictures of Reykjavík cats just doing stuff. https://www.facebook.com/groups/270811673406351/?fref=nf
= new reply since forum marked as read
