Published December 18, 2018
In Iceland, Christmas is a little wacky. Instead of one Santa, we have thirteen. And rather than being a jolly old white-bearded fellow who lets children sit on his on his lap in a shopping mall and showers them with presents, our Jólasveinar—or “Yule Lads,” in English—are a tribe of mischievous little weirdos.
Starting on December 12th, the Yule Lads come down from the mountains one by one, each day until Christmas. If you’ve behaved well, they’ll put a gift in your shoe; if not, you get a potato. In honour of this harrowing game of cat and mouse, we present: the Thirteen Days Of Grapemas, where every day, a Yule Lads will deliver one of you—our beloved readers—a special Icelandic gift.
So what’s a girl gotta do to get some cool stuff in her shoe? Just tag the friends or loved ones you think are most deserving on this Facebook status, along with a damn good reason that they should win. Remember: If you don’t enter in this life, you sure won’t win. #JÓLÓ
What’s In The Shoe Today?
Cries of woe were heard from the windows of Airbnbs today as tourists woke up to discover that their breakfast Skyr had been devoured during the night. People were hangry. It was the worst crime spree since the Panama Papers. But who was responsible?
Well, our sources have disclosed that it was the work of one of the most mischievous Yule Lads, Skyrgámur—’Skyr-Gobbler’ in English. None but the lactose intolerant are safe from his Skyr-eating criminality.
However, the Yule Lads come bearing gifts for the well-behaved. Today, it’s a voucher for a tasting menu experience for two at Coocoos Nest. This cosy and popular eatery on Grandi is a real Grapevine favourite. It has an Italian theme, but on different nights of the week you’ll find them having tacos nights, as well as serving pizza, pasta , and other dishes of the day. They also have a fantastic brunch menu, if that’s more your flavour. So, dear reader, tag your most well-behaved friend here. And if you’re not based here, don’t worry—the voucher lasts a year. And if you don’t win today, check out our page tomorrow for the next gift.
A note: Yesterday’s Krauma Geothermal Spa contest was won by Anne Marie Fennefoss Nielsen. She was nominated by her neighbour, Jas Swansen, for being, “the best neighbour and friend in the shittiest but also *wine emoji* related times.” Now that is someone to be celebrated! But don’t worry, you can book your own trip to the luxurious Krauma geothermal spa here. Stay tuned for tomorrow’s winner. It could be you!
