Who Are The 13 Yule Lads Before & During Christmas In Iceland?

How's it going lurkers? Happy Yule/Winter Solstice to all my Pagan friends and subscribers! 

Sorry there wasn't a Song Saturday or Cartoon Sunday for last weekend. I have been extremely busy this month both on and offline with family, friends, helping them, and others who have been in need of help this month.

During the month of December, I am usually not this busy. Honestly, I CANNOT  believe how fast this December has gone. It was just December 1st. Now, it's December 22nd (Winter Solstice). In 3 more days, it will be Christmas. Yay!

Since it is Yule/Winter Solstice, I thought I would discuss the 13 Yule Lads. The 13 Yule Lads are a part of the Icelandic folklore. An Icelandic poet named Jóhannes úr Kötlum published a poem in 1932 called "Jólasveinarnir." The Icelandic society in Iceland was reintroduced to the Yuletide folklore by the poem, "Jólasveinarnir."

During the last 13 nights before Christmas, the 13 Yule Lads, which were normally depicted as being mischievous and criminal pranksters, love to wreak havoc. They wreak havoc by supposedly coming from the mountains to scare naughty Icelandic children before Christmas.

The 13 Yule Lads are similar to Saint Nicholas and his evil sidekick, Krampus. The 13 Yule Lads either reward good children like Saint Nicholas, or PUNISH naughty children like Krampus.

Nearly a decade ago, I learned a little about the 13 Yule Lads, while watching IMF. The network's abbreviation stood for International Music Feed. 

I enjoyed watching that music channel a lot more than MTV, MTV2, and VH-1 combined at the time.

IMF exposed its viewers to both mainstream and underground music videos from around the world. A favorite show of mine, which aired on IMF was Hello World.

Hello World helped to educate viewers about other countries and random facts about them. This was along with learning about entertainers from those countries.

Not only did the network air Hello World, but there were also brief segments during commercial breaks on IMF, which helped viewers to learn more about other ancient folklores. 

Had it not been for International Music Feed, I would've NEVER discovered the 13 Yule Lads.

During the last 13 nights before Christmas, each Yule Lad arrives and departs on certain dates.

The 13 Yule Lads:

1) Stekkjarstaur (Sheep-Cote Clod)- During December 12th-25th, this stiff and peg-legged Yule Lad harasses sheep.

2) Giljagaur (Gully Gawk)- During December 13th-26th, he hides in gullies, while waiting for an opportunity to sneak into the cowshed and steal milk.

3) Stúfur (Stubby)- During December 14th-27th, this abnormally short Yule Lad steals pans to eat the crust left on them.

4) Þvörusleikir (Spoon-Licker)- During December 15th-28th, this malnourished lad steals Þvörur to lick. Þvörur is a type of a wooden spoon, that has a long handle.

5) Pottaskefill (Pot-Scraper)- During December 16th-29th, he steals leftovers from pots.

6) Askasleikir (Bowl-Licker)- During December 17th-30th, he hides under beds and waits for someone to put down their 'askur' (a type of bowl with a lid used rather than dishes). 

Then, he steals it.

7) Hurðaskellir (Door-Slammer)- During December 18th-31st, he loves to slam doors, especially during the night.

8) Skyrgámur (Skyr-Gobbler)- During December 19th-January 1st, this Yule Lad has an affinity for skyr, which is like an Icelandic strained yogurt.

9) Bjúgnakrækir (Sausage-Swiper)- During December 20th-January 2nd, he hides in the rafters and grabs sausages, that are being smoked.

10) Gluggagægir (Window-Peeper)- During December 21st-January 3rd, this voyeuristic Yule Lad looks through windows in search of things to steal.

11) Gáttaþefur (Doorway-Sniffer)- During December 22nd-January 4th, this lad with an abnormally large nose and an acute sense of smell, sniffs for laufabrauð or an Icelandic bread, which is normally eaten around the time of Christmas.

12) Ketkrókur (Meat-Hook)- During December 23rd-January 5th, he uses a hook to steal meat.

13) Kertasníkir (Candle-Stealer)- During December 24th-January 6th, this last Yule Lad follows children, in order to steal their candles. 

In ancient times, candles were made of tallow (fat from cattle and sheep), which made them edible.

Since we are on the topic of the 13 Yule Lads and because there wasn't a Song Saturday last weekend, it's only appropriate to have a festive song by the Icelandic singer, Björk.

Björk "Jólasveinar" How The Juice Stole Christmas (1995)

Song Saturday: Scott Weiland Christmas Block

How's it going lurkers? Throughout the week, I meant to publish some other blogs but it's that time of the year when everyone's busy shopping for mostly Christmas gifts. That's along with our house FOREVER undergoing construction and scheduling doctor's appointments.

Throughout this past week, I have been so busy that I have been too tired to function properly. As if being sick the last 2 months wasn't miserable enough, I went from having allergies to another cold.

Aside from having a hectic week, I managed to listen to 1 of Scott Weiland's cover albums yesterday. 

Last weekend, I mentioned that the late Stone Temple Pilots and Velvet Revolver lead singer released his own Christmas album. It's titled, The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year.

Since I have NOT  kept track of songs written and performed by Scott Weiland over this last decade, I had no idea that he released his own Christmas album in 2011, until he died more than 1 week ago.

I CANNOT help emphasizing how incredibly sad and disappointing it is to learn, that another talented musician died from substance abuse.

Out of the 3 dead Grunge vocalists (Nirvana's Kurt Cobain, Alice In Chains' Layne Staley, and Stone Temple Pilots' Scott Weiland), Scott Weiland was definitely the most talented Grunge vocalist, who died from hardcore drugs. Scott and Layne had more singing versatility than Kurt Cobain in regards to musical talent.

Like I said before to others, I don't discredit Kurt Cobain for having talent. Honestly, I believe that Kurt Cobain was extremely talented, when he illustrated his own art. 

Have you ever seen any of Kurt Cobain's paintings? They were phenomenal!

However, Scott Weiland was a unique frontman. He had the ability to sing in more than 1 musical genre and sub-genre, which was highly underrated about the man. 

While listening to Scott's Christmas cover album, I became really depressed. This was especially when listening to Scott Weiland cover the late Bing Crosby's "I'll Be Home For Christmas." As somebody said on YouTube, listening to him singing the song is a "sad, twisted irony."

Now that Scott Weiland is dead, he will NOT  be home for Christmas with his current wife and children. We as Scott's family, friends, bandmates, and fans wish that he would've went to drug rehab and stayed long enough to get clean for us all.

This is the 2nd Song Saturday in a row that features music from the late Scott Weiland. I just stumbled upon at least 3 music videos/live performances of him covering Christmas songs.

Scott Weiland's live performance of "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" debuted on Jay Leno, nearly 10 years ago. Out of the 3 songs for today's Song Saturday block, it is my favorite cover.

1) Scott Weiland "The Christmas Song" [Nat King Cole Cover] The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year (2011) 

2) Scott Weiland "I'll Be Home For Christmas" [Bing Crosby Cover] The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year (2011)

3) Scott Weiland "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" [2006 Judy Garland LIVE Cover] The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year (2006)

Cartoon Sunday: Happy Harmonies' Alias St. Nick

How's it going lurkers? Yesterday was Saint Nickolas Eve otherwise known as Krampus Day. Today is Saint Nicholas Day. 

Hopefully, dear old Saint Nick left you something special in your stocking.

It's only fitting to have a festive animated short. After all, the holiday has fallen on Cartoon Sunday. 

Earlier, I stumbled upon an old rare gem. Some of you may be familiar with MGM's Happy Harmonies. Happy Harmonies was before my time. 

It was the name of a 36-episode cartoon distributed by MGM, which was produced by Hugh Harmon and Rudolf Ising between 1936 to 1938.

According to what I have read, Happy Harmonies cartoons were very similar to Walt Disney's Silly Symphonies. 

Like I said earlier, these cartoons were before my time. Therefore, I can't comment based on either franchise's cartoons. I can only say I stumbled upon a rare gem by MGM.

Earlier, I finished watching Happy Harmonies' episode, "Alias St. Nick." Through the eyes of a 33-year-old woman, I thought it was a cute yet ANCIENT classic. 

"Alias St. Nick" reminded me of Tom and Jerry except from 1935.

Actually, Tom and Jerry was created in 1940. That cartoon is the same age as my grandmother. Wow! As dated as the cartoon is, I thought Happy Harmonies' "Alias St. Nick" was cute. 

I am bound to be biased, since it was a house with a bunch of cute little mice. The main mouse was awfully "naughty." He kept saying there was no such thing as Santa Claus and continuously tried to prove everyone wrong.

Don't you just hate those die hard skeptics? 

They have to ALWAYS find a way to prove that someone's "wrong" about any little thing in existence, when they refuse to acknowledge that THEY themselves DO exist. It's so annoying.

Anyway, here is Happy Harmonies' "Alias St. Nick" for today's Cartoon Sunday.

Happy Harmonies: "Alias St. Nick" (1935) 

Song Saturday: RIP Scott Weiland!!!

How's it going lurkers? Before I forget, you may recall that last weekend for today's Song Saturday, I mentioned sharing more Krampus songs. Unfortunately, that will not be the case for today. 

In case case you missed the previous Krampus Day themed Song Saturday blogs, here they are once again at the following:

Song Saturday: Krampus + More About Saint Nick's Evil Sidekick (2014)

Song Saturday: Midnight Syndicate's Night Of The Krampus (2015)

Earlier this week, I was just thinking about Scott Weiland. Now, I learn that he's dead. 

Even though it really should not be a surprise to much of anyone, especially to us veteran fans (He's been in and out of drug rehab, since the mid-90's), I was shocked, disappointed, and sad.

Yesterday I learned that the former lead singer of Stone Temple Pilots/Velvet Revolver died at 48 years old.

This is mostly devastating news for veteran Stone Temple Pilots fans. These last 3 months, I have not been keeping up with the latest news in Rock Music. So much has been happening both on and offline that I have been spreading myself too thin.

Nearly 2 years ago, I published a Song Saturday blog about Linkin Park's Chester Bennington being Scott Weiland's replacement for Stone Temple Pilots.

Song Saturday: Scott Weiland VS. Chester Bennington? You Decide! (2014)

Because Scott Weiland of both Stone Temple Pilots and Velvet Revolver died 2 days ago and since STP was a major part of my youth, it is only fair to share at least 2 songs from them for Song Saturday.

Most people don't know that Stone Temple Pilots was originally called, "Mighty Joe Young." Not only were they Mighty Joe Young, but they were also featured on The Crow Soundtrack in '94. Originally, the band meant to release their song, "Only Dying" for the soundtrack.

Mighty Joe Young a.k.a. Stone Temple Pilots "Only Dying" [DEMO] (1990)

 

"Only Dying" was created 3 years before The Crow movie and soundtrack (both based on James O'Barr's comic book, The Crow) were released.

At the last minute, Mighty Joe Young now turned Stone Temple Pilots refrained from releasing the song. The band felt it would've been disrespectful considering that Brandon Lee was suddenly killed, DURING the making of The Crow in 1993.

STP replaced "Only Dying" with "Big Empty" for The Crow Soundtrack. "Big Empty" can also be found on the band's 2nd album, Purple from 1994.

Out of all the Stone Temple Pilots songs, "Atlanta" is 1 of my dozens of favorites by them. This song can be found on their 4th album, No. 4.

Stone Temple Pilots "Atlanta" No. 4 (1999)

RIP SCOTT WEILAND ON KRAMPUS DAY!!!