‘Scary’ troll Santas herald Christmas fear in Iceland

They don’t wear red, and they’re not jolly: The 13 Santas who usher in Christmas in Iceland are “descendants” of trolls and ogres who revel in terrifying young children.

Tradition holds they visit homes, in succession, on the 13 days before December 25, depositing either sweets or a toy or – the worst case scenario for bad behaviour – a potato in shoes children have left by a window.

“The Santas are trolls and come from Icelandic folklore; it is in their nature to be evil,” explained folklorist Steinunn Gudmundardottir.

Known as Yule Lads, they can strike fear in the hearts of youngsters, as witnessed when Stekkjastaur, the first-born of these 13 troll “brothers”, made an appearance at Iceland’s National Museum 13 days before Christmas.

About 100 children waited anxiously as he burst into a room, sporting a traditional Icelandic wool sweater, knickerbockers and a bright red wool cap that matched his rosy nose and cheeks half-hidden by a bushy grey beard.

“I am not only the first Santa to come to town, I am also the eldest,” he bellowed, stomping sternly and demanding who knew where his name came from.

A few trembling hands went up before bolder children shouted: “because you are inflexible” and “because you drink sheep’s milk”. Both were right ­– all 13 “Lads” have their own distinct traits and Stekkjastaur, which translates to “Sheep-pen Clod”, likes sneaking into sheep pens to suckle the yews but does so clumsily because he has stiff knees, according to Icelandic folklore.

Over the centuries the Yule Lads “slowly evolved into being kinder, although they occasionally tease and maybe steal”, Ms Gudmundardottir said.

`She said the change probably dates back to a 1746 law banning parents from scaring their children with the likes of evil trolls and Santas.

“The gift-giving came later, in the 20th century, and this had to do with influence from the American Santa Claus,” she added.

“I remember the first time I got a potato in my shoe,” says Margret Yr Ingimarsdottir, a 25-year-old student and mother.

She was six and tried to be brave, “but in the evening I broke down and cried, terribly upset that Santa had thought I misbehaved and only deserved a potato instead of a nice toy or candy.”

The trauma would not keep her from doing the same to her own children.

While the 13 brother Santas have gone through a mellowing process, their mythical parents Gryla and Leppaludi are known as the most hideous and mean-spirited ogres ever in Iceland, and quite possibly the world.

Stekkjastaur insisted, in his museum appearance, however, that his mother too has improved over time.