The Dark & Strange Legends of Christmas Festivities

This month I received...

Today we take a look at 5 festive legends including, Gryla, the Yule Cat, the Yule Lads, Befana and the Kallikantzaros. From Iceland we have the terrible child eating troll Gryla, her pet cat the Yule Cat which stalks the snowy countryside looking for those who were unfortunate enough to not receive any new clothing during Christmas. Lastly we have her 13 sons, the Yule Lads. Who arrive in town one at a time each night from the December 12th until Christmas Eve. These pranksters wreak havoc and ensure that little peace and rest will be had. In Italy they tell stories of an old woman called Befena who rides a broomstick and delivers presents to children. In Greece and the Balkans exist the Kallikantzaroi who spend most of the year underground trying to destroy the tree of life. However during the twelves days of Christmas they surface to cause havoc which allows the tree of life time to regenerate.

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0:00 - Intro
0:34 - Scentbird (Sponsor)
1:50 - Gryla
3:10 - The Yule Cat
4:12 - The Yule Lads
5:43 - Befana
7:36 - Kallikantzaros
9:54 - Outro/Credits

#YuleCat #Befena #FestiveFolklore

Title: The Dark & Strange Legends of Christmas Festivities - (Exploring Festive Folklore)

[HeartFullOfForest]

These were a blast to paint, thanks for having me again! I loved the stories, as usual!

[EnythSimurgh]

As an Italian, I'm happy you included La Befana, our favourite witchy grandma :)

[aaronpederson]

How to picture the Yule Lads (in my head): 3 year Olds in Elf costumes... that's it... just a bunch of them, some hopped up on candies, all of them rummy and all of them mischievous. That's that twinkle in their eyes... pure mischief.

[Mate]

So a giant cat is the reason we get socks for christmas, you know, I'll take my socks if that means a massive feline won't eat me.

[mrsmucha]

I like the Yule Cat and The Yule Lads. Thanks for telling us about them.

[OnePerson-iwct]

( Not so ) Fun fact : As a Greek, there is an older version for the origins of kalikatzaros which says that they are actually the infants slain by Herod, as they were not baptized.

[Irisarc]

That Yulecat legend sure makes it hard for kids to complain about getting socks instead a toy. 😉

[MIGBMWLOVER]

I am compelled as a Greek to add to the last legend that burning incence (usually from Myrrh) every night keeps the kalikantaroi away and is believed that in the 6th of January when we celebrate Theophany and the Blessing of Waters which forces these goblins back into the earth and start devour the tree of life again. Also the devour of children is removed from the legend as even my grandmother never told me such thing and she was well versed into weird legends! and why are the north legends and fairytales so dark twisted and cruel?

[laliclaudesol]

Here in Catalonia we have the ancient tradition of the "Tió". I guess a good translation for it would be "the Poo Log".
It's a log we take indoors (a cut log, not a tree) for the whole month of December. We paint a face on it, we "feed" it for weeks and on Christmas day (wait for it) children literally beat the crap out of the log while singing. And it poops presents. Yup. The presents usually are sweets or treats that a family can share.
The Tió (aka, "Christmas Poo Log", if you will) used to be burnt in the fireplace after the beating/presents part, but since nowadays not every home has a fireplace, we just breat it up and then hide it away.
Here's one of the songs we sing while beating the log with sticks:

Shit, tió,
hazelnuts and nougats,
do not shit herrings,
they are too salty,
shit nougats
they taste better.
Shit, tió,
almonds and nougats,
and if you don't want to shit
I will hit you with a stick!
Shit, tió!
(The translation is from the Tió de Nadal Wikipedia page, it's pretty accurate and faithful to the Catalan lyrics)

No, but seriously, look it up! The Tió de Nadal tradition is so bizarrely wild! 😂
Merry Christmas, everyone 💕

[Jack-miin]

I love how your voice tone doesn't change through the whole video

[kastewy]

A good prank for the goblins could be while they count the colander the person shout “3!” And they burst into flames that way.

[johndoeiii]

Happy Yule, Happy Saturnalia holiday to you all 🌞🎄🎅

[EspeonMistress]

Oh my god, I was getting pissed looking at some triggering posts and you uploaded! Now I can sleep with a peace of mind! My night has been saved!

[crossoverclub]

Happy Holliday's, my friend. I really love your videos. Mythology is one of my personal favorite subjects.

[mz.]

Great video! Me and mine will be celebrating Yule and may everyone have a great solstice and holiday season

[moonprincesst.s.h.ever]

I would love to see the baby name books that Grýla got her kids names from! 😂🤣
Merry Christmas, 2021, happy holidays and happy New Year, 2022, Mythology & Fiction Explained!
🎄🎁🎉🎊🥳

[sifilore]

Now we know where Gryla and her Yule Lads from Chilling Adventures of Sabrina comes from. The Yule Cat is in Netflix’s Christmas Chronicles 2. Befana the Christmas witch definitely prove that witchcraft has nothing to do with the devil. That’s all fanatic-hypocritical superstitions.

[anna_k_]

The story most children are told in Reykjavík city and towns around the city is that the yule lads come from the mountain Esja, which is close by.
We Icelanders are very weird with our stories and culture too

[artemisia]

After great frustration searching for tolerable Xmas music, my spirits lifted to find this festive offering. I haven’t even watched it yet but gave it a thumbs up just because. 😘 Thanks! 👏🏼👏🏽👏🏾👏

[OnizukaAllMighty]

Happy holidays and keep up with good work, this channel is a dream to all mythology enthusiasts