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Presents...
That's Just a Myth!
Chapter 1: The Yule Cat
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, Young and Young-at-Heart Explorers! Welcome to the newest addition to the Something Niche pantheon, That's Just a Myth! In this new segment, we here at Something Niche will take a peek at a one of the oldest classics of storytelling, one that has piqued our curiosity and fascination in recent years; Mythology!
Yes, mythology! That classic collection of folktales and stories about celestial, almighty beings, fearsome beasts, and strange individuals that have been told many times over the centuries as an alternative explanation as to how humanity first came to be. Every country and every culture in the world have their own myths and legends to their name, be they Greece, Japan, China, Africa, Latin America, or anywhere else! And it's these stories that have, in turn, inspired many of the most timeless tales of modern popular culture!
Keep in mind that this series will stand separate from Trippy Tales from The Backyard, which will mainly focus on cryptids and Urban Legends that have been relatively recent findings in the paranormal world, though a few topics on That's Just a Myth may overlap. This includes our first subject.
Since it's officially the holiday season, our first stop on this worldwide globe-spanning journey will be the snow-capped lands of Scandinavia, specifically Iceland, where we will be exploring the origins of one of the season's most notable mascots. But no, I'm not talking about St. Nick himself. In fact, our topic today is anything but jolly.
Our very first topic of this show will be a ferocious beast known as the Yule Cat. This gigantic feline may look as cute and cuddly at first, until you realize it's gargantuan size. And you definitely won't want to pet this kitty after you see what it can do!
Indeed, despite its connections to the time of year where we all try to stay at least a bit more positive, The Yule Cat is a harbinger of anything but. This naughty kitty has a taste for the flesh of those on the Naughty List, especially those that don't have any new clothes for the winter! If you thought getting a stocking full of coal was a cruel punishment, you'll definitely not want to see this fuzzball towering outside your cozy little cottage on Christmas Eve!
So, make sure you're all nice and bundled up in your nicest thermal wear...IF YOU KNOW WHAT'S GOOD FOR YOU! Here is the icy cold tale of The Yule Cat!
Here, Kitty Kitty!
Known in its Native language as the Jolakotturin, the Yule Cat's name makes its physical appearance rather self-explanatory. This feisty little beast takes on the appearance of a house-sized house cat, usually resembling either a domesticated black cat, or a breed native to Scandinavian countries; the Norwegian Forest Cat. These cats have had a long history with many different Nordic cultures, often being used by Vikings in order to hunt pests on ships.
And the Yule Cat acts pretty similar, only the so-called pests it haunts are-you guessed it-humans. In particular, kids who never got any new clothes for Christmas, though usually because they were naughty throughout the year. That's right, if you were naughty in Iceland, forget about a stocking full of coal, kid! You were about to become a treat for this feisty feline! And it has often been said that the Yule Cat is definitely a sloppy eater, with the naughty children it hunts being left as nothing but food scraps!
However, many different legends have stated that the Yule Cat isn't just a wild animal acting on its own instinct, no. It has often been said that it is, in fact, the pet of one of Iceland's most infamous folk families. That family is that of the multi-headed ogress Gryla and her 13 children; The Yule Lads.
Much like her loyal pet, Gryla has an appetite for the unruly children of Iceland, often kidnapping them and before turning them into human hors d'oeuvres. And her 13 Children, despite basically becoming Iceland's answer to Santa Claus, tended to be not much better, even if they were certainly a bit less cannibalistic than their old woman.
But these 13 Yule Lads were certainly on the mischievous and reckless side, causing many strange bouts of mischief during the Holidays. Each of them came with their own name that basically pinpointed the exact types of mischief they would get into during Christmastime, such as "Door-Slammer", "Window-Peeper", and "Spoon-Licker". They would also often scare kids into obedience, often kidnapping those who'd misbehave.
A Paw-tionary Tale?
Of course, that is just what a lot of legends say. And it seems rather doubtful that a giant, house-sized cat could actually exist. And in the case of the Yule Cat, if it were real, Iceland would probably be one of the most dangerous countries in the world around the Holiday Season (especially with how unruly kids can be nowadays, sadly)! But how exactly did a gigantic mouser that eats kids become such a widespread legend in Iceland?
Well, much of the Yule Cat's legend dates back to the 1600s and 1700s in Iceland. While what we've discussed so far may cause one to believe that the Yule Cat may have merely been an old wives' tale used to discipline kids, many people believe that the Yule Cat was actually created for a completely different purpose; to increase worker productivity!
That's right, the Yule Cat initially started as a cautionary tale to deal with lazy workers and to increase production for textile goods! At the time, much of the country of Iceland's major income came from its wool production, so new clothes for kids during a time where they needed them the most would certainly be quite a lifeline. So, stories like this were likely spread amongst workers-many of whom were likely parents themselves-in order to motivate them into getting more clothes onto shelves!
"During the long, winter months, the main activity in the farms would be to work with the wool, and that's what occupied most of the household." describes Helga Vollertsen, curator of ethnology at the National Museum of Iceland. "People were poor; they couldn't afford to be lazy. And so, I believe the stories of the Yule Cat encouraged people to work harder."
Granted, while these tales may have just been pure exaggerated fiction, and as far as we know, seemingly encouraged harder work, they didn't come without a couple of unintended consequences. Much of these legends ended causing a wave of paranoia to grow amongst the general public of Iceland, one that got so bad, that the nation's government had to outlaw telling these tales-as well as those of the Yule Lads and any other related legends-in 1764.
Who Let the Cats Out?
But there's still one mystery pertaining to the Yule Cat's legend; why is it exactly a Yule Cat and not a more common ferocious animal, like a wolf? Well, I did note earlier that the Norwegian Forest Cat has often been compared to the legend, and that isn't a coincidence.
In addition to them being the pest control service of choice amongst the Viking warriors of Scandinavia, many cats resembling the breed were common sightings in many Nordic folktales. Perhaps the most notable example being through Freya, the Icelandic version of the Norse Goddess of Love and Magic. Freya was often depicted in myth as traveling via a chariot that was pulled by giant cats that resembled the modern Norwegian Forest Cat.
The Yule Cat's more sinister elements, however, seem to take root in superstition. During the Middle Ages, some Christians came to believe that cats may have been linked to paganism, witchcraft, and even the Devil, mostly on account of them not being mentioned in The Bible. This could also explain why black cats have actually become so intertwined with witch-themed decorations during the Halloween season.
However, perhaps the strangest theory people have for the Yule Cat's identity may simply come from a mere curious fact about the country of Iceland. There, cats are actually much more common sight than dogs, both as pets and as wild animals! This is the result of a law passed there in 1924 that actually banned dogs from the country, likely over safety concerns. While the law has been somewhat relaxed in recent years, most Icelandic citizens can still only have a dog as a pet if they receive an authorized permit.
Much of the Yule Cat's legend, however, was immortalized for the modern age in a 1932 poem written by Johannes ur Kotlum, which described much of the same details that we often associate with the legend today. Nordic pop star Bjork notably adapted this poem into a song in 1987!
A few have also drawn comparisons between the Yule Cat and a few other legendary creatures from other cultures, such as the Cat-Sith, a Celtic legend involving a witch who could shapeshift into a cat-like being. Celts and Vikings frequently clashed during the early Middle Ages, and a lot of their art and culture would end up taking influence from one another. So, it would only make sense that myths like these would cross paths!
A Kitty's Closeup
So, as you can see, the Yule Cat's legend is a truly distinct and eerie one that has managed to cast its dark shadow over the nation of Iceland for centuries. The legend is a truly frightening and distinct juxtaposition to the normally bright and cheery (if admittedly somewhat stressful) Christmas season, something that has certainly attracted the attention of the morbidly curious in recent years, especially as the Internet has made any culture available at our fingertips at any time.
And much of that same aura of fear that the Yule Cat has cast has not slowed down in recent years. However, while people still get scared of this kaiju-sized kitty, in Ms. Vollertsen's words "It's a fun scared; a bit like Halloween or visiting a ghost house at an amusement park." An apt comparison in a post-Nightmare Before Christmas world that seems obsessed with exploring the creepy side of Christmas.
Speaking of which, much like good old Jack Skellington, it would seem that the Yule Cat has become a cult icon amongst those who seem to enjoy mixing the macabre with the cute and cuddly, and has become a major merchandising icon during the Internet Age. The Yule Cat has become a popular sight during the age of social media, with many darkly-humorous memes quickly sprouting up all over the web.
Even the legend's old stomping ground of Iceland has embraced this newly-commercialized take on the Yule Cat. During the holiday season, the nation's capital city of Reykjavik often sets up decorations in its likeness, including a selection of giant LED sculptures. It's also not uncommon to find cutesy merch in the Yule Cat's likeness at various shops in the area. "I don't think there is any fear left today." Ms. Vollertsen notes "It's just a cute Christmas story."
However, Ms. Vollertsen isn't entirely right; there's still plenty of people in the world who haven't forgotten about the Yule Cat's terrifying roots. Although media depictions are still rather rare, a growing number of individuals within the entertainment industry have attained quite a fascination for the Yule Cat during the past few years.
Most notably, the Yule Cat recently made its way to the comic shops, where it crossed paths with a personal favorite of mine; Dark Horse's Hellboy! A 2023 story arc within the comic focuses on Hellboy traveling to Reykjavik in order to investigate a growing number of children disappearing from the area during the Holiday Season. And as you may have already guessed, it quickly becomes clear that these child abductions are the work of the Yule Cat! A panel from this story arc is pictured above.
Several independent short films have also been made about the beast during the age of the Internet, including one short film from Sagen Films simply entitled Yule Cat (though also occasionally known by the appropriately-punny title of Krampuss!), which can currently be found on YouTube.
In 2024, a few students from the Pennsylvania-based Millersville University also made their own music video surrounding the legend! Under the supervision of Dr. Barry Atticks, associate professor of Music Business Technology, a select few of this group even traveled directly to Iceland themselves for on-location shooting!
"We wanted to stay true to the folklore while adding our own creative interpretation." Atticks explains, having become fascinated with the legend after an earlier vacation to Iceland. "It's a perfect fit for a horror-themed Christmas short film. We want to share Iceland's rich cultural heritage with a wider audience." This short can also currently be found on YouTube!
A Round of A-Paws
So, as we have learned from today's lesson, while the Christmas season may normally be a season of smiles, it still has its fair share of dark skeletons in its closet. And the grim mystique of the Yule Cat is one of them!
This creepy kitty's legend has made its bed within the folklore of Iceland, serving as a form of discipline for the unruly young of the Iceland, and a cautionary tale for the lazy workers who keep falling behind on their textiles! It's become a representation of the consequences of low productivity and immaturity, on that has invertedly made Iceland a stronger, and more distinct country in recent years.
And with the age of the Internet linking the world together like never before, more and more people have had the privilege of coming across this tantalizing tale, and several artists from across the world have even been welcome to create their own interpretations of the legend in order to create new, interesting forms of art and entertainment. Ones that have caused the Yule Cat, in recent years, to become as much of a strange Christmas curiosity as jolly old St. Nick himself, in spite of (or perhaps. because of!) it's dark origins. I wouldn't even be surprised if someone somewhere is trying to get a feature-length Yule Cat creature feature off the ground as we speak!
But what about you? Do you find the Yule Cat to be a fascinating tale? Are you interesting in learning more about it or other Icelandic cultural legends (and/or Christmas legends) after taking this short journey with me today? Do you have any Yule Cat-related merch amongst your Christmas display or memes on your hard drives? Share your thoughts in the comments below, and please share this article on social media! And tell all your friends about Something Niche!
But as for the Yule Cat...
That's Just a Myth!
Sources:
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Brown, Jackie. “Meet the Large and Adventurous Norwegian Forest Cat.” The Spruce Pets, The Spruce Pets, 23 June 2025, www.thesprucepets.com/norwegian-forest-cat-4170085.
Chapman, Richard. “The Icelandic Yule Lads and Their Mother Gryla.” Guide to Iceland, 4 Dec. 2025, guidetoiceland.is/history-culture/the-icelandic-yule-lads-and-gryla.
Dundas, Suzie. “Beware the Yule Cat, Iceland’s Child-Eating Christmas Monster .” Atlas Obscura, 22 Dec. 2023, www.atlasobscura.com/articles/yule-cat-jolakotturinn-iceland.
Jones, Dustin. “You’ve Heard of Santa, Maybe Even Krampus, but What about the Child-Eating Yule Cat?” NPR, NPR, 23 Dec. 2023, www.npr.org/2023/12/23/1221454825/youve-heard-of-santa-maybe-even-krampus-but-what-about-the-child-eating-yule-cat.
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Munim Hossain, Tahmid. “Celts vs Vikings — an Overall Comparison .” Medium, 24 July 2021, medium-com.translate.goog/@tahmidlelo3704/celts-vs-vikings-an-overall-comparison-63a7347408c9?_x_tr_sl=en&_x_tr_tl=pt&_x_tr_hl=pt-PT&_x_tr_pto=tc.
Staff, US Ghost Adventures. “The Legend of the Yule Cat.” US Ghost Adventures, 25 Dec. 2024, usghostadventures.com/haunted-stories/the-legend-of-the-yule-cat/.
Sum, Ed. “Which Yule Movies Are Authentic, According to Tradition?” Otaku No Culture, 19 Dec. 2024, otakunoculture.com/2024/12/19/yule-movies-top-five/.
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