One by one, over a series of nights during Christmastime in Iceland, the Yule Lads come down from a mountain, making mischief, rewarding good behavior and punishing bad. These lovable scamps are unique melding of folkloric traditions, and a reminder that Christmas once was — and still can be — haunted and scary. Terry Gunnell, professor emeritus of folkloristics at the University of Iceland, joins Brian to tell the story. Thanks also to Baldur Gylfa for appearing in this episode!

Music in this episode

• "Momentary Ease" — Blue Dot Sessions, via Free Music Archive
• "Relaxing Piano" — Uncredited artists, via Pixabay
• "Tiled Chamber" — Blue Dot Sessions, via Free Music Archive
• "Ambient Christmas" — Denys Kyshchuk, via Pixabay
• "The First Noel" — Calvin Clavier, via Pixabay

Connect with Me

• Links to all the things https://christmaspastpodcast.com/links
• Email: [email protected]

Books

Of Christmases Long, Long Ago: Surprising Traditions from Christmas Past (2025, Lyons Press and Recorded Books) It's Christmas as you've never seen it before, and it makes a great gift for all the Christmas lovers in your life.

Christmas Past: The Fascinating Stories Behind Our Favorite Holiday's Traditions (2022, Lyons Press and Recorded Books)