Legend of the Yule Cat

I love legends of all kinds. Especially Christmas Legends. In fact, my 11th English class learned about the legend of candy canes, Santa Claus and the Night Before Christmas poem this year. The history behind legends is always full of mystery and intrigue for me. I love how legends are passed down through time and although they are claimed to be historical, they can’t be verified. It is all so fascinating to me. One of my favorite legends combines my love of Christmas with my absolute love of cats. It is the Legend of the Yule Cat. And, if you are not familiar with this particular legend, you are surely going to be entertained and maybe even, scared.

Icelandic Folklore

Some great things have come from Iceland, including Vikings, Norse Mythology and Bjork. However, the Legend of The Yule Cat, known as Jólakötturinn, is probably the greatest thing that came from Iceland. The first written form of this feline legend dates back to the 17th century, but it was orally passed down for many, many years prior. The legend tells of a massive, vicious cat who lurks around the countryside during Christmas time. This big flouf is looking for people who have not received clothing by Christmas Eve. On Christmas Eve, those who were not lucky enough to receive their Christmas clothing will become a tasty snack for the Yule Cat.

Originally, the Yule Cat targeted anyone who had not received new clothing. Over the years, it was targeted as a deterrent for misbehaving children. Kinda like an Elf on the Shelf, but meaner. Apparently, children who misbehave do not receive new clothing for Christmas. This marks them as easy targets for the Yule Cat. According to some versions of the legend, the Yule Cat lives with the Yule Lads, who are 13 merry but mischievous trolls. The Yule Lads visit children for the 13 nights leading up to Christmas Eve delivering gifts to good girls and boys. Then, on Christmas Eve, the Yule Cat makes his appearance looking for the children who did not receive new clothing due to bad behavior. This might actually be better than an Elf on the Shelf.

Wishing You a Yule Cat Free Christmas

There are many websites that go deeper into this legend and its origin. I highly recommend going down the rabbit hole and learning more. I just love the fact that there is a huge cat roaming around looking for children, and adults, who, due to misbehavior, did not receive new clothing. It is such a great story. But don’t worry, the legend of the massive, scary, children-eating cat has not made life difficult for every day, modern cats. In fact, it is quite the opposite. Iceland is actually known for its love of cats. Reykjavík, the capital of Iceland, proclaims itself to be the Cat Capital of the World and even has its own Facebook Page. Now, I wish you all a Yule Cat Free Christmas, although it would be kind of cool to see him lurking around.

“You all know the Yule cat And that cat was huge indeed. Everybody knew he hunted men
But didn’t care for mice.” – Jóhannes úr Kötlum