The Legend of the Yule Cat

When we think of terrifying tales from Christmas folklore, Krampus might be the first thing that comes to mind. However, there is no shortage of creepy holiday tales throughout European folklore. The story of the Yule Cat is one you won’t soon forget.

Some of these stories date back centuries and are deeply embedded in the cultures they come from, while others have only come about in the last century. One of these newer but no less horrifying figures is Jólaköturinn, or the “Yule Cat,” who is known to wreak havoc in Iceland during the Christmas season.

What Is The Story of The Yule Cat?

The Yule Cat came into Iceland’s cultural zeitgeist in the mid-1850s and saw a rise in popularity during the 1930s. While a Yule Cat might sound sweet and wholesome, like the kind of feline you can snuggle up with on a cold winter’s night, this cryptid creature is anything but friendly. The Yule Cat is a giant black cat known to check in on children at Christmas time, and if the Yule Cat is displeased with the children, the result can be deadly.

Origins of The Yule Cat

No one knows for sure when the story of the Yule Cat first came about, but the earliest text referencing it comes from 1862. Icelandic folklorist Jón Árnason wrote about an “evil beast” that looked like a giant cat in one of his stories, but there was no clear connection to Christmas. 

Decades later, in 1932, Jóhannes úr Kötlum published a book called Jólin koma (Christmas Is Coming) that included a poem titled Jólaköturinn, which translates to “Christmas Cat” or “Yule Cat.” It was with the publication of this book and poem that the popularity of the Yule Cat seems to have really taken off. 

Throughout the history of Icelandic folklore, there are tales of monster cats, so the true origins of the Yule Cat could go as far back as the Middle Ages. There is also believed to be a connection between the Yule Cat and the Scandinavian Christmas goat Julebukk, who is an assistant to St. Nicholas. Goats and black cats are both animals commonly associated with the Devil, which could be why both are known for their mischievous and sometimes downright evil nature.

What Does The Yule Cat Do?

If you become a victim of the Yule Cat, it might be because of the clothes you’re wearing. It’s said that the Yule Cat goes from house to house at Christmas to see if children are wearing old or new clothes. As the tradition goes, if the children were wearing new clothes, it meant that they were good. However, seeing children in their old clothes meant that they had been bad, and their parents had chosen not to gift them new clothes as a punishment. 

As it turns out, the punishment was death since the merciless Yule Cat would eat the children wearing old clothes. However, in some versions, the Yule Cat would merely take some of the children’s food but spare their lives.

So, as much as getting a new pair of socks or an ugly Christmas sweater might seem like the worst gift possible to a child, it may be the ultimate protection against the wrath of the Yule Cat.

Grýla and the Yule Lads

Another popular folktale to tell around Christmas is Grýla and the Yule Lads. Grýla is half-ogre, half-troll, and has 13 sons who wreak havoc during the holiday season. With the help of her children, Grýla will kidnap naughty children and take them back to her home in the mountains, where she cooks them into a stew. Of course, any family who eats children needs an equally wicked pet, so at some point, the Yule Cat was folded into the story as another accomplice. 

That said, the Yule Lads have gotten something of an image makeover in recent years and aren’t murderous or creepy like they used to be. As for the Yule Cat, it’s said to belong to Stúfur (also known as “Stubby”), the 3rd of the Yule Lads, who rides the giant feline around Iceland like a horse.

The Yule Cat Today

Over the past century, the Yule Cat has become an increasingly popular figure in Icelandic pop culture. It’s not uncommon for children to cut spiral tails out of cardboard and attach them to paper cats as Christmas tree decorations.

In 1970, Icelandic musician Ingibjörg Þorbergs wrote songs about various folk tales, including that of the Yule Cat. Bjork’s 1987 Christmas album Hvít Er Borg Og Bær includes the song Jólaköturinn, named after the festive feline.

In addition to its popularity, the Yule Cat still manages to stir up controversy. In 2018, the Reykjavik City Council decided to put a modern twist on their traditional Christmas decorations by adding a massive statue of the Yule Cat in Lækjartorg Square. The 16-foot iron Yule Cat was made of black iron and filled with LED lights in addition to having glowing red eyes.

The sculpture also cost over $30,000, leading Sanna Magdalena Mörtudóttir, a representative from the city’s Socialist Party, to release a statement on the cost. Mörtudóttir noted that the Yule Cat’s penchant for eating children wearing old clothes mocked the poor children in Reykjavik whose parents couldn’t afford new clothes during the holidays. Mörtudóttir also took offense with the Yule Cat’s high cost, stating that the funds should have gone to those in need.

A Festive Feline For The Holidays

The Yule Cat is an especially interesting folk tale because it is still evolving as folklore tends to do. As it transforms from a bloodthirsty beast to the beloved family pet of the Yule Lads, it will be interesting to see where the story of the Yule Cat goes next. 

For more spooky holiday stories, visit our blog and be sure to follow U.S. Ghost Adventures on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.

Sources:

https://icelandicfolklore.is/the-yule-cat/

https://www.npr.org/2023/12/23/1221454825/youve-heard-of-santa-maybe-even-krampus-but-what-about-the-child-eating-yule-cat

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/each-christmas-icelands-yule-cat-takes-fashion-policing-extreme-180961420/

https://the-line-up.com/the-yule-lads-gryla-iceland

https://grapevine.is/news/2018/11/27/christmas-cat-cost-causes-controversy/