My Grandparents were Icelandic but his was something I was never told. In fact I just heard about the Yule Lads on CBC Radio a couple of days ago. Perhaps it’s a good thing, these guys sound pretty scary, and a little wierd with names like Pot Scraper, Sausage Swiper and Peeping Tom! My Goodness!
Christmas Lads at the National Museum of Iceland
The Icelandic jólasveinar (Yuletide Lads) have absolutely nothing to do with the international red-clothed Santa Claus, who is a version of St. Nicholas. The Yuletide Lads are descended from trolls, and orginally they were bogeymen who were used to scare children. During this century they have mellowed, and they sometimes wear their best, red, suits. But they still tend to pilfer and play tricks.