6 Degrees of Cats

How the Cat Stole Christmas: Introducing the Yule Cat of Iceland

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Join us as we celebrate the Winter Solstice, also known as Yule and explore the intriguing tale of Iceland’s legendary Yulecat and revisit the captivating history of Viking settlements in Iceland on this episode of the world's #1 cat-themed culture, history and science podcast, 6 Degrees of Cats.

In this illuminating discussion, led by renowned Iceland folklore expert Terry Gunnell, Ph.D., discover why the typically cat-loving Icelanders avoid encountering this colossal cat, and gain insights from journalist Haukur S Magnússon on strategies to evade its clutches. Musician Júlía Hermannsdóttir shares her childhood experiences immersed in these captivating folktales.

By the end of this episode, uncover the deeper significance behind this seasonal folklore - it’s a revelation that goes beyond mere storytelling.

Join us as we explore the fascinating world of Icelandic folklore and traditions intertwined with the Winter Solstice and Christmas!

Support the podcast, sign up for The Captain’s Log, the companion podcast newsletter and learn about way$ to help keep this ship afloat for our next season here: linktr.ee/6degreesofcats.

Referenced episodes:

  • Did You Know the Vikings had Cats? Magic, Freya and Norse Folklore
  • Witches, Whiskers and Whisky: Re-introducing the Original Cat Lady of Halloween! 

    • About the experts:

    • Terry Gunnell, Ph.D., is a professor of folkloristics at the University of Iceland. Gunnell is a leading published expert on Norse folklore and history and has served as a consultant for films such as The Northman.
  • Júlía Hermannsdóttir is a Reykjavík, Iceland-based musician and health technologist who performs vocals and synthesizers with her indie shoegaze band, Oyama.
  • Haukur Sigurbjörn Magnússon is an Icelandic musician and journalist. He was the editor in chief of the magazine Reykjavík Grapevine from 2012-2016 and is the guitarist of the band Reykjavík!

    • Producer, writer, editor, sound designer, host, basically everything*

    • Captain Kitty (Amanda B.)

    * with co-executive producers Binky & Snuggles

    Animal voices include:

    • Binky & Snuggles _^..^_

    Music:

    • Leathered: "Look Alive" © 2022
  • The Captain & Tenille 2: Snuggles: "(Don't) Let it Snow"
  • Samples licensed via Loopcloud
  • Additional sound effects from Pixabay.com

    • Logo design:

    • Edward Anthony © 2024 (Instagram: @itsmyunzii)

    Research used:

    • Árnadóttir, N. (2018, February 6). From Iceland - Reykjavík Catwalk: A brief history of cats in Iceland. The Reykjavik Grapevine. https://grapevine.is/mag/articles/2018/02/07/reykjavik-catwalk-a-brief-history-of-cats-in-iceland 
  • Budrovich, N. (2023, January 3). The Wild Holiday that turned ancient Rome Upside Down. Getty. https://www.getty.edu/news/the-wild-holiday-that-turned-ancient-rome-upside-down/ 
  • Dunn, M. (2023, October 26). Bonfires, feasts, and human sacrifice: How the Vikings celebrated “Christmas.” All That’s Interesting. https://allthatsinteresting.com/yule 
  • Gunnell, T. (2001). GRÝLA, GRÝLUR, GRØLEKS AND SKEKLERS: Medieval Disguise Traditions in the North Atlantic. In ARV: Nordic Yearbook of folklore 2001 (pp. 33–54). essay, The Royal Gustavus Adolphus Academy. 
  • Karlsson, Á. G. (2020, December 17). The Yule Cat. Icelandic Folklore. https://icelandicfolklore.is/the-yule-cat/ 
  • Lea, R. (2021, October 26). When is the winter solstice and what happens?. Space.com. https://www.space.com/winter-solstice 
  • Magnússon, H. S. (2015, January 21). From Iceland - The Christmas Cat. The Reykjavik Grapevine. https://grapevine.is/culture/art/2008/12/10/the-christmas-cat/ 
  • McAfee, S. (2023, January 16). 2 “pagan roots of Christmas” claims you can refute. Catholic Answers. https://www.catholic.com/magazine/online-edition/refuting-the-pagan-roots-of-christmas-claim 
  • McGowan, A. (2023, December 4). How December 25 became Christmas. Biblical Archaeology Society. https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/people-cultures-in-the-bible/jesus-historical-jesus/how-december-25-became-christmas/
  • Torres, D. (2021, January 8). Which literary genius had the biggest inner cat lady. The Best Cat Page. https://thebestcatpage.com/which-literary-genius-had-the-biggest-inner-cat-lady/ 
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