The Icelandic Yule Lads live at Dimmuborgir in North-Iceland!

Here in Iceland, we have 13 Yule Lads, which are quite different from Santa Claus. There are records of names of more than 70 Yule Lads, but somehow these 13 Yule Lads have stayed with us until modern times.

The Yule Lads live in Iceland, way up north in Mývatn at Dimmuborgir - Dark Fortress or Dark Cities, and there you can find their cave hidden away - and you might even stumble upon it during your visit to Dimmuborgir. 

Top photo: with my father-in-law inside Jólasveinahellirinn - the Cave of the Yule Lads in Dimmuborgir 

The information sign at Dimmuborgir tells us about the Icelandic Yule Lads

Dimmuborgir - the Dark Fortress at Mývatn is a true wonder of nature. This amazing area consists of towering lava rock formations that make you feel like you stepped into another world - a world of fairy-tales and Yule Lads :)

The rocks are brittle and fragile - and here is the playground of the Yule Lads - so be aware that while visiting this area as you might run into them! You might also run into them when they want to take their only bath of the year, the Christmas bath, on the 7th of December at 16:00, at the Mývatn nature baths.

Mývatn Nature Baths

Our original Yule Lads were pranksters and all of them have their special name, which describes their mischievous conduct. Their names are:

Stekkjastaur- Sheep-Cote Clod

Giljagaur - Gully Gawk

Stúfur - Stubby

Þvörusleikir - Spoon Licker

Pottaskefill - Pot Scraper

Askasleikir - Bowl Licker

Hurðaskellir - Door Slammer (he loves waking people up by slamming doors)

Skyrgámur - Skyr Gobbler

Bjúgnakrækir - Sausage Swiper

Gluggagægir - Window Peeper

Gáttaþefur - Doorway Sniffer

Ketkrókur - Meat Hook

Kertasníkir - Candle Beggar

By their names, you can see that they are up to mischief ;) 

The cave of the Yule Lads - Jólasveinahellirinn

They aren't as bad as their parents, but they are quite ill-mannered and who wouldn't be after having been raised by the two terrible trolls, Grýla and Leppalúði!

Last summer I visited Dimmuborgir twice and, after looking for it thoroughly, I stumbled upon their cave! 

The Yule Lads sleep in their cave during summertime and can rarely be seen walking around as they are resting. In December, it is a different story, then there is a good chance of running into a mischievous Yule Lad. I visited their cave twice last summer and was lucky enough not to run into them in their cave. 

The cave of the Yule Lads - Jólasveinahellirinn

There is a kitchen in the cave and you can find the Yule Lads' laundry hanging up to dry, so it seems like they just popped out and could be back any minute now. 

In their strangely formed natural cave, there are beds for each and every one of the Yule Lads with their personal belongings and it is fun poking around in there looking at all their stuff - as long as they don't come back to find you in their cave - poking around going through their stuff!!

The cave of the Yule Lads - Jólasveinahellirinn

Thirteen days before Christmas the first Yule Lad comes to inhabited areas and then a new one arrives every day until the last one arrives on the 24th of December. We Icelanders celebrate Christmas on the evening of the 24th of December. 

It has been a tradition here in Iceland since 1950 for young kids to leave their best (or biggest) shoe on the windowsill in their bedroom, the first one 13 days before Christmas. The Yule Lad coming to "town" visits all the kids and leaves a small present for them in their shoe. But only if the kids have gone to sleep early and have not behaved badly.

Because, as one knows, the Yule Lads cannot leave you a present if you are awake ;) A kid who hasn't behaved well on that particular day will find a raw potato in the shoe! And I can tell you that the kids finding the raw potato in their shoe rarely show it to anybody as they are so ashamed.

Grýla, the mother of the Yule Lads

The parents of the Yule Lads are called Grýla and Leppalúði. They live in a big cave in Ludentarborgir, not far away from the cave of their offspring at Dimmuborgir. I have not found that cave and am not eager to find that particular cave, to tell you the truth ;)

Grýla is a very bad and grim ogre, and she eats badly behaved children, she comes to pick them up, puts them in her sack, and then cooks them in her cauldron. I remember how scared we Icelandic kids were of this terrible ogre, Grýla - and she still gives me the creeps!

Leppalúði, the father of the Yule Lads

Grýla and Leppalúði own the Christmas Cat, which eats people who don't get any Christmas presents containing clothes. So you better get some soft Christmas presents if you don't want the Christmas Cat to eat you ;) 

The first Yule Lad to arrive from the mountains on the 12th of December is Stekkjastaur (Sheep-Cote Clod). The last one is Kertasníkir (Candle Beggar), but he arrives on the 24th of December and from him, well-behaving children receive the biggest present in their shoe, so that is always a day to look forward to.

After Christmas, the Yule Lads return back to their home in Dimmuborgir, one by one, in the same order as they arrived in town until the last one, Kertasníkir, leaves on the last day of Christmas, January 6th.

Grýla and Leppalúði in Akureyri, the capital of the North

The best bet to meet the Yule Lads at Dimmuborgir is from November 15th until December 31st, when they are getting ready for Christmas and after they get back home from their expedition. 

The Icelandic name for a Yule Lad is "jólasveinn" so if you walk through Dimmuborgir shout out loud: "Jólasveinn!!"- and see what happens! I have heard that they are greeting people from 11:00-13:00 from November 30th until December 24th. Don't be afraid of them, as with age they have become better behaved :) 

You can buy tickets and find out the exact dates and times here on Guide to Iceland.

I have also written many travel-blogs about Mývatn as this area, along with Jökulsárgljúfur canyon and Ásbyrgi is my favourite place to visit in Iceland.