Kertasníkir – The thirteenth, and last, Icelandic Yule Lad to come to town

Tonight, Kertasníkir (Candle Beggar), the thirteenth, and last, of the thirteen Icelandic Yule lads, will come to town! Have you been naughty or nice? Will you get candy or a potato?

One of the few Yule Lads not constantly occupied with food, Kertasníkir instead enjoys stealing candles, preferably from children. This seems especially mean when you know that in the old days every kid usually got a nice candle at Christmas and sometimes not much else.

Read about all the Icelandic Yule Lads and their extended family here.

Illustration by Elín Elísabet Einarsdóttir