1 00:00:00,240 --> 00:00:27,320 Speaker 1: Ridiculous History is a production of I Heart Radio. Welcome 2 00:00:27,360 --> 00:00:30,800 Speaker 1: back to the show, Ridiculous Historians. Thank you, as always 3 00:00:30,840 --> 00:00:33,440 Speaker 1: so much for tuning in. Shout out to our own 4 00:00:33,520 --> 00:00:37,560 Speaker 1: Santa Claus, the one and only Mr Max Williams. They 5 00:00:37,600 --> 00:00:41,080 Speaker 1: called me, Ben. Let's let's get some Uh. No, we're 6 00:00:41,159 --> 00:00:43,360 Speaker 1: keeping We're going to keep going. Uh let's get some 7 00:00:43,560 --> 00:00:47,840 Speaker 1: weird Christmas music getting this season? Noel, I would say, 8 00:00:47,880 --> 00:00:52,000 Speaker 1: you and I are fans of Christmas time, especially in 9 00:00:52,080 --> 00:00:55,080 Speaker 1: the spring, uh, which is you know what I like 10 00:00:55,200 --> 00:00:58,200 Speaker 1: to celebrate Christmas. People look at me kind of funny, 11 00:00:58,560 --> 00:01:00,920 Speaker 1: but you know, I think Christmas should be able to 12 00:01:00,920 --> 00:01:03,840 Speaker 1: be celebrated year round. We should make our own Christmas 13 00:01:03,880 --> 00:01:07,199 Speaker 1: traditions because, as it turns out, you know, the americanized 14 00:01:07,240 --> 00:01:11,400 Speaker 1: sort of Coca qualified version of Santa Claus and the 15 00:01:11,600 --> 00:01:14,440 Speaker 1: Christmas Polar Bears and all that, oh product of marketing. 16 00:01:14,880 --> 00:01:18,039 Speaker 1: I'm more of a fan of the weird, dark, spooky, 17 00:01:18,560 --> 00:01:22,400 Speaker 1: folk loreic traditions of Christmas that is much more prevalent 18 00:01:22,440 --> 00:01:24,760 Speaker 1: in other parts of the world. And boy, are we 19 00:01:25,040 --> 00:01:28,679 Speaker 1: getting into one that's quite a doozy today. Agreed. Give 20 00:01:28,720 --> 00:01:32,880 Speaker 1: me the crampuses, Yes, give me your tired, poor huddled 21 00:01:32,959 --> 00:01:37,520 Speaker 1: folklore yearning to be normalized me your children stuffed into 22 00:01:37,600 --> 00:01:41,360 Speaker 1: sacks and made into stews to be devoured by which 23 00:01:41,440 --> 00:01:45,679 Speaker 1: like troll creatures. But we're not taking black Pete in 24 00:01:45,720 --> 00:01:49,280 Speaker 1: the dal just to be He's canceled forever at all time, 25 00:01:49,360 --> 00:01:52,600 Speaker 1: he's canceled, so canceled by us at least. Yes, in 26 00:01:52,720 --> 00:01:58,800 Speaker 1: typical ridiculous history fashion, folks, we are celebrating a holiday. 27 00:01:58,960 --> 00:02:03,200 Speaker 1: Uh kind of late to our very early however youone 28 00:02:03,280 --> 00:02:06,040 Speaker 1: to say it. We just have so much fun with 29 00:02:06,120 --> 00:02:08,320 Speaker 1: this story. We can't wait to explore it with you. 30 00:02:08,760 --> 00:02:11,200 Speaker 1: We do want to give some brief shout outs. First, 31 00:02:11,240 --> 00:02:14,160 Speaker 1: big big shout out to our peer podcast. Stuff you 32 00:02:14,200 --> 00:02:17,120 Speaker 1: missed in history class. We were talking of fair and 33 00:02:17,200 --> 00:02:20,000 Speaker 1: believe they had had a take on this back in 34 00:02:20,080 --> 00:02:24,520 Speaker 1: the day, several several years ago now, but we're still 35 00:02:24,600 --> 00:02:27,639 Speaker 1: fascinating with this. We actually just for rolling. We're talking 36 00:02:27,680 --> 00:02:30,920 Speaker 1: about how much we dig Iceland. I think it's on 37 00:02:31,120 --> 00:02:33,320 Speaker 1: It's definitely on my bucket list to go. I haven't 38 00:02:33,320 --> 00:02:35,720 Speaker 1: been able to go since the pandemic hit. But uh, 39 00:02:35,919 --> 00:02:38,800 Speaker 1: what about unial nex Oh, it's definitely ever since I 40 00:02:39,000 --> 00:02:41,600 Speaker 1: first covered cigar Ross in college, I've wanted to go 41 00:02:41,639 --> 00:02:44,000 Speaker 1: to Iceland and just for that Totle reason right there, 42 00:02:44,480 --> 00:02:46,800 Speaker 1: just like holping, i ould run into them. Oh yeah, yeah, 43 00:02:46,800 --> 00:02:49,080 Speaker 1: then you're definitely gonna run into Segar Ross and York 44 00:02:49,320 --> 00:02:52,320 Speaker 1: just down the boulevard. You know. They're they're just they're 45 00:02:52,360 --> 00:02:56,200 Speaker 1: always running around drinking tiny cups of espresso and eating 46 00:02:56,280 --> 00:02:58,760 Speaker 1: rotten shark meat. That's just how it goes. Now. My 47 00:02:58,800 --> 00:03:01,840 Speaker 1: girlfriend um Had has been, uh and a few friends 48 00:03:01,840 --> 00:03:04,040 Speaker 1: of mine have been, and it's a very beautiful place 49 00:03:04,080 --> 00:03:08,760 Speaker 1: but apparently uh stunning lee expensive just just like yeah, 50 00:03:08,880 --> 00:03:13,560 Speaker 1: that's what I've heard, Yes, studyingly expensive. Also if you 51 00:03:13,600 --> 00:03:17,280 Speaker 1: don't like cold weather, it's not for you, but it 52 00:03:17,480 --> 00:03:19,640 Speaker 1: is an adventure worth having. A lot of my friends 53 00:03:19,680 --> 00:03:23,000 Speaker 1: have gone as well, but I haven't talked to them yet. 54 00:03:23,400 --> 00:03:28,400 Speaker 1: About a particularly Icelandic Christmas tradition, something called the Yule Lads. 55 00:03:28,480 --> 00:03:31,240 Speaker 1: You see, if you are a young tyke growing up 56 00:03:31,240 --> 00:03:34,760 Speaker 1: in Iceland, you have not one father Christmas, but you 57 00:03:34,840 --> 00:03:39,760 Speaker 1: have thirteen father Christmas is. They're not called the Yule Dads, 58 00:03:39,800 --> 00:03:43,680 Speaker 1: but they're called the Yule Lads, and during the thirteen 59 00:03:43,760 --> 00:03:49,560 Speaker 1: days leading up to actual facts Christmas, these guys who 60 00:03:49,560 --> 00:03:53,880 Speaker 1: are whimsical, marry little rascals, a little bit mischievous, mischievous. 61 00:03:54,120 --> 00:03:57,560 Speaker 1: They take turns visiting children, and the way it goes, 62 00:03:57,640 --> 00:04:00,560 Speaker 1: each of those nights, a kid places one of their 63 00:04:00,600 --> 00:04:03,800 Speaker 1: shoes on the window sill, and if you're a good kid, 64 00:04:04,240 --> 00:04:09,080 Speaker 1: then that Yule Lad of that day will leave candy, 65 00:04:09,240 --> 00:04:13,440 Speaker 1: and if not, they'll do some other stuff that will 66 00:04:13,480 --> 00:04:16,320 Speaker 1: will get into Right now, there are a lot less 67 00:04:16,360 --> 00:04:20,280 Speaker 1: creepy today, right, they've been kind of sanitized in as 68 00:04:20,440 --> 00:04:23,719 Speaker 1: in the Great Telephone Game of History. But back in 69 00:04:23,960 --> 00:04:30,400 Speaker 1: seventeen six, parents were legitimately worried about what was what 70 00:04:30,480 --> 00:04:34,000 Speaker 1: these stories were doing to kids. So maybe we talk 71 00:04:34,080 --> 00:04:38,640 Speaker 1: a little bit about about the yule Lads, right, They aren't. 72 00:04:39,200 --> 00:04:42,280 Speaker 1: They aren't just like thing one through thirteen and some 73 00:04:42,400 --> 00:04:48,080 Speaker 1: dr Seusian way. They have their own distinct personalities. They 74 00:04:48,080 --> 00:04:51,080 Speaker 1: got their own vibe each, all thirteen of them. There 75 00:04:51,080 --> 00:04:54,800 Speaker 1: there are crew of individuals. That's right. Then, they've got 76 00:04:54,880 --> 00:05:00,000 Speaker 1: some very interesting, uh traits. Let's just say it's almost 77 00:05:00,040 --> 00:05:03,239 Speaker 1: like a snow white kind of situation. The Uleads each 78 00:05:03,320 --> 00:05:07,359 Speaker 1: have their own um, you know, personalities, uh much in 79 00:05:07,520 --> 00:05:11,200 Speaker 1: smurf like fashion as well. The National Museum of Iceland 80 00:05:11,279 --> 00:05:14,000 Speaker 1: describes it thus, Lee, and we got this from a 81 00:05:14,040 --> 00:05:18,320 Speaker 1: Smithsonian article. Meet the Thirteen ule Ads, Iceland's own mischievous 82 00:05:18,320 --> 00:05:21,400 Speaker 1: Santa clauses Uh, and here's what they have to say. 83 00:05:21,680 --> 00:05:23,880 Speaker 1: Dozens of different names for the ule Ads appear in 84 00:05:23,920 --> 00:05:26,520 Speaker 1: different folk tales and stories. A popular poem about the 85 00:05:26,600 --> 00:05:30,320 Speaker 1: ul Ads about the late Johannes or Kutlum, which first 86 00:05:30,320 --> 00:05:33,520 Speaker 1: appeared in the book Uln Comma Christmas Is Coming in 87 00:05:33,600 --> 00:05:36,520 Speaker 1: nineteen thirty two, served to make their names and number 88 00:05:36,680 --> 00:05:40,000 Speaker 1: much better known. The names of the thirteen ule Ads 89 00:05:40,040 --> 00:05:43,719 Speaker 1: that most Icelanders know today are all derived from that poem. 90 00:05:43,760 --> 00:05:45,920 Speaker 1: They each come on their own nights of the season. 91 00:05:46,240 --> 00:05:48,760 Speaker 1: U and you know we're not native Icelandic speakers. We're 92 00:05:48,760 --> 00:05:51,000 Speaker 1: gonna do our best. Some of these pronunciations are a 93 00:05:51,080 --> 00:05:54,640 Speaker 1: little tricky for our American tongues, but we're gonna do 94 00:05:54,640 --> 00:05:57,320 Speaker 1: our best here. So on the first night December twelve, 95 00:05:57,400 --> 00:06:01,479 Speaker 1: we have steck yard Stour, also known as Gimpie, who 96 00:06:01,520 --> 00:06:04,360 Speaker 1: was known for harassing sheep in order to suckle some 97 00:06:04,440 --> 00:06:08,480 Speaker 1: of their milk. But he has these stiff peg legs, 98 00:06:08,839 --> 00:06:14,320 Speaker 1: so he's not entirely successful in doing this usually. Then 99 00:06:14,480 --> 00:06:16,320 Speaker 1: who do we have on the second night, the thirteenth 100 00:06:16,360 --> 00:06:19,560 Speaker 1: of December. Well, it's interesting because what we'll see is 101 00:06:19,600 --> 00:06:22,440 Speaker 1: that it's almost like a high screw. All of the 102 00:06:22,520 --> 00:06:26,120 Speaker 1: Yule lads have their specific thing they like to do, 103 00:06:26,600 --> 00:06:31,560 Speaker 1: and they're often stymied by some sort of other conditions. 104 00:06:31,600 --> 00:06:35,200 Speaker 1: So the next guy is gully gac that would be 105 00:06:35,360 --> 00:06:39,560 Speaker 1: his English translation. He hides in gullies and he's all 106 00:06:39,600 --> 00:06:42,479 Speaker 1: about waiting for the right time to sneak into the 107 00:06:42,520 --> 00:06:47,200 Speaker 1: local cow shed and steal milk. And it goes on 108 00:06:47,360 --> 00:06:51,280 Speaker 1: the names like spoon liquor, pot scraper, sky Er, gobbler, 109 00:06:51,720 --> 00:06:54,440 Speaker 1: skier being a kind of yogurt, the guy who just 110 00:06:54,480 --> 00:06:57,960 Speaker 1: really likes yogurt. And then one of my favorites I 111 00:06:57,960 --> 00:07:02,960 Speaker 1: don't know why is sausage wiper. Yeah, December. He hides 112 00:07:03,000 --> 00:07:08,280 Speaker 1: and rafters and he steals sausages that are being smoked exactly. 113 00:07:08,320 --> 00:07:11,880 Speaker 1: Then we have the pervious of the crew window peeper, 114 00:07:13,040 --> 00:07:16,960 Speaker 1: who is known for looking in on um, you know, 115 00:07:17,200 --> 00:07:21,080 Speaker 1: the families as they slumber, I imagine, and eyeballing things 116 00:07:21,120 --> 00:07:24,400 Speaker 1: to steal. Sure, okay, okay, window peeper, I'm sure that's 117 00:07:24,400 --> 00:07:27,720 Speaker 1: what you're up to. Uh. And then we have gattup 118 00:07:27,840 --> 00:07:34,240 Speaker 1: pure goat or doorway sniffer. Yeah, so he does. He's 119 00:07:34,240 --> 00:07:37,960 Speaker 1: got a big old nose that he uses to sniff doorways. Um. 120 00:07:38,000 --> 00:07:42,480 Speaker 1: And he is looking specifically for Icelandic holiday pastries. Um. 121 00:07:42,600 --> 00:07:46,480 Speaker 1: Then on they three we have meat hook or catch 122 00:07:46,600 --> 00:07:50,560 Speaker 1: crooker and he steals meat using a hook. A lot 123 00:07:50,600 --> 00:07:53,280 Speaker 1: of a lot of food theft going right here. And 124 00:07:53,280 --> 00:07:57,400 Speaker 1: then we have candle steeler or or like the final Boss. 125 00:08:01,360 --> 00:08:04,440 Speaker 1: That's right, he's the final Boss or Karat Knox Ni 126 00:08:05,160 --> 00:08:08,640 Speaker 1: Karat Knox Nick here I think, and he uh follows children, 127 00:08:09,000 --> 00:08:10,640 Speaker 1: you know, as they go to bed, and then he 128 00:08:10,760 --> 00:08:14,920 Speaker 1: steals their candles. So all of this mischief in Mayhem 129 00:08:14,920 --> 00:08:19,680 Speaker 1: totals thirteen day debacle leading up to Christmas. And um, 130 00:08:19,840 --> 00:08:22,000 Speaker 1: after this is all done, they all go back to 131 00:08:22,120 --> 00:08:33,240 Speaker 1: their cave somewhere in the mountains of Iceland, which I 132 00:08:33,240 --> 00:08:36,200 Speaker 1: I love this story. I think folklore is a great 133 00:08:36,240 --> 00:08:43,200 Speaker 1: way to learn about culture. Door slammer, well, we missed, Yeah, 134 00:08:43,320 --> 00:08:45,520 Speaker 1: we missed, door slammer. I don't know if we got to. 135 00:08:45,679 --> 00:08:48,840 Speaker 1: We did say pot scraper, right, Do we talk about 136 00:08:48,600 --> 00:08:52,000 Speaker 1: bowl liquor as well? We've got bowl liquor as well. 137 00:08:52,040 --> 00:08:55,040 Speaker 1: I think that rounds out the crew there. They're they're 138 00:08:55,080 --> 00:08:58,160 Speaker 1: all doing very similar things. They're all either licking spoons 139 00:08:58,280 --> 00:09:01,400 Speaker 1: or scraping pots, or steve in food or or or 140 00:09:01,440 --> 00:09:04,599 Speaker 1: smelling his wife and smelling window, smelling doors, peeping in 141 00:09:04,640 --> 00:09:06,199 Speaker 1: through windows. And they're all a bunch of creeps, it 142 00:09:06,240 --> 00:09:08,480 Speaker 1: would seem I don't find this charming at all. I 143 00:09:08,520 --> 00:09:11,679 Speaker 1: find it, you know, I like a good rascal story. Um. 144 00:09:12,040 --> 00:09:16,040 Speaker 1: The reason they all have kind of related predilections is 145 00:09:16,360 --> 00:09:20,480 Speaker 1: due to the fact that they are siblings. During these 146 00:09:20,520 --> 00:09:23,000 Speaker 1: thirteen days and throughout the rest of the year, their 147 00:09:23,080 --> 00:09:28,920 Speaker 1: parents are around Gila and Lepeloy, and they're the enforcers. 148 00:09:29,000 --> 00:09:32,079 Speaker 1: They will punish kids who are very, very naughty. They 149 00:09:32,080 --> 00:09:37,160 Speaker 1: are scary, ugly mean er ah, and anybody who runs 150 00:09:37,160 --> 00:09:41,679 Speaker 1: into them is considered terribly unlucky. Grila in particular is 151 00:09:41,679 --> 00:09:45,040 Speaker 1: a hard case because Grila will sneak into the homes 152 00:09:45,080 --> 00:09:48,640 Speaker 1: of insolent children, shove them in a sack, and eat 153 00:09:48,679 --> 00:09:53,240 Speaker 1: them in a stew back in Hilaire yikes joints uh. 154 00:09:53,280 --> 00:09:55,960 Speaker 1: If you ask any iceland or about her, they will 155 00:09:56,000 --> 00:09:59,920 Speaker 1: tell you that their parents told them the story of Grila, 156 00:10:00,120 --> 00:10:04,000 Speaker 1: and that they genuinely are scared or were scared of 157 00:10:04,040 --> 00:10:06,440 Speaker 1: her growing up. And I don't know if we mentioned this, 158 00:10:06,480 --> 00:10:09,959 Speaker 1: but well we're talking about the Smithsonian article. What's great 159 00:10:10,000 --> 00:10:12,600 Speaker 1: is you can see some cool stylized pictures of the 160 00:10:12,679 --> 00:10:15,679 Speaker 1: Yule Lads, who are a little old to be called lads. 161 00:10:15,920 --> 00:10:18,760 Speaker 1: But shout out to Rachel Newer for excellent work there. 162 00:10:18,800 --> 00:10:22,640 Speaker 1: Do check out that article. Yeah, and the tourism board, 163 00:10:22,679 --> 00:10:25,679 Speaker 1: I guess of of Iceland collaborated with the magazine by 164 00:10:25,720 --> 00:10:29,120 Speaker 1: Icelandic Hotels and there's a really great article called Iceland's 165 00:10:29,120 --> 00:10:31,640 Speaker 1: thirteen You lads don't call them santas so which were 166 00:10:31,679 --> 00:10:34,920 Speaker 1: also pulling some good info from So yeah, I mean, 167 00:10:35,040 --> 00:10:37,800 Speaker 1: you're right, Ben, this is a cautionary tale for children. 168 00:10:37,880 --> 00:10:41,240 Speaker 1: The ul Lads maybe a little less so because they 169 00:10:41,280 --> 00:10:44,640 Speaker 1: did kind of evolve into more just like cookie mischievous 170 00:10:45,960 --> 00:10:51,080 Speaker 1: bringers of of Ule tied cheer. Well yeah exactly, but 171 00:10:51,160 --> 00:10:54,480 Speaker 1: the origin of the story is much much much darker. 172 00:10:54,760 --> 00:10:58,320 Speaker 1: So Gila in particular is the most terrifying of all 173 00:10:58,360 --> 00:11:01,439 Speaker 1: of these figures. Um. She is known to be an 174 00:11:01,440 --> 00:11:05,560 Speaker 1: Icelandic Christmas ghoul who is quite large, much more of 175 00:11:05,559 --> 00:11:07,760 Speaker 1: like a combination of like a witch and a troll, 176 00:11:08,360 --> 00:11:11,480 Speaker 1: and the end has uh I think cloven hoofs so 177 00:11:11,720 --> 00:11:16,400 Speaker 1: very Crampus like, and also thirteen tales, presumably one for 178 00:11:16,440 --> 00:11:20,040 Speaker 1: each of her sons were representing each of the you lads. 179 00:11:20,040 --> 00:11:23,800 Speaker 1: She lives deep in the mountains with her you know, 180 00:11:24,000 --> 00:11:28,000 Speaker 1: demonic children and allows one to come to the village 181 00:11:28,000 --> 00:11:31,319 Speaker 1: on each day leading up to Christmas, and Christmas essentially 182 00:11:31,400 --> 00:11:35,800 Speaker 1: serves as open season on naughty children, whom you know, 183 00:11:36,240 --> 00:11:38,959 Speaker 1: given the opportunity, she'll throw into a sack and boil 184 00:11:39,040 --> 00:11:42,920 Speaker 1: them alive. Uh. And this is a tale that children 185 00:11:43,080 --> 00:11:46,240 Speaker 1: in Iceland grew up knowing about, like much the same 186 00:11:46,280 --> 00:11:49,480 Speaker 1: as Crampas. I mean here in America, Santa Claus kind 187 00:11:49,520 --> 00:11:51,840 Speaker 1: of occupies both of those roles. You'll give you a 188 00:11:51,880 --> 00:11:54,960 Speaker 1: good present if you're good, and nothing if you're bad, 189 00:11:55,080 --> 00:11:56,920 Speaker 1: or like, you know, a lump of coal or whatever 190 00:11:56,960 --> 00:12:04,000 Speaker 1: it might be, but nothing particularly you know, damaging or dangerous. Right. Yeah, 191 00:12:04,080 --> 00:12:06,720 Speaker 1: And this is this is fascinating because we're also seeing 192 00:12:06,800 --> 00:12:10,000 Speaker 1: religious syncretism, I want to point out, and anything. We'll 193 00:12:10,000 --> 00:12:13,559 Speaker 1: get into this a little bit later. But Gila, originally 194 00:12:14,080 --> 00:12:18,400 Speaker 1: I think, is a giant tests or a troll, and 195 00:12:18,520 --> 00:12:21,840 Speaker 1: she when she's first mentioned in this poem of Grila. 196 00:12:22,520 --> 00:12:26,880 Speaker 1: She's not linked to Christmas lore at all. She's just 197 00:12:27,000 --> 00:12:32,200 Speaker 1: linked to being the monstrous matriarch of the Yule Lads. 198 00:12:32,240 --> 00:12:36,199 Speaker 1: She lives deep deep in the mountains with her demonic brood. Also, 199 00:12:36,800 --> 00:12:39,240 Speaker 1: she's known for eating children, but she also has a 200 00:12:39,280 --> 00:12:42,480 Speaker 1: little bit more of a sophisticated palette. She is thought 201 00:12:42,559 --> 00:12:46,280 Speaker 1: to have killed and eaten her first three husbands because 202 00:12:46,760 --> 00:12:50,680 Speaker 1: they board her and at one time she just thought 203 00:12:51,640 --> 00:12:54,160 Speaker 1: these guys would be better as soup than they would 204 00:12:54,200 --> 00:13:00,760 Speaker 1: be as romantic partners. And apparently in some versions of 205 00:13:00,760 --> 00:13:03,760 Speaker 1: the story, these folks, the Yule Lads and their mom 206 00:13:04,120 --> 00:13:09,680 Speaker 1: roll through with a cat. Joel couturin the child eating 207 00:13:09,760 --> 00:13:12,800 Speaker 1: Christmas Cat is part of the crew, and he stands 208 00:13:12,840 --> 00:13:17,840 Speaker 1: by to do his own devouring as misbehaving children boil 209 00:13:17,920 --> 00:13:20,920 Speaker 1: away and the family stew. So to be very clear, 210 00:13:20,960 --> 00:13:25,040 Speaker 1: if you're a young Icelandic child, the tradition is this 211 00:13:26,120 --> 00:13:29,600 Speaker 1: be good, you get some candy, otherwise you will be 212 00:13:29,640 --> 00:13:34,160 Speaker 1: boiled alive and eating. The choice is yours. That seems 213 00:13:34,200 --> 00:13:38,120 Speaker 1: like a little heavy metal kind of way to treat kids, 214 00:13:38,160 --> 00:13:40,960 Speaker 1: But there's some there's so much stuff I want to 215 00:13:40,960 --> 00:13:43,320 Speaker 1: talk about with folklore of Iceland, but maybe we should 216 00:13:43,480 --> 00:13:47,240 Speaker 1: may we should start out by talking about like where 217 00:13:47,280 --> 00:13:51,520 Speaker 1: the Yule Lads come from, because they have, like you 218 00:13:51,520 --> 00:13:53,400 Speaker 1: can already tell, they have a lot in common with 219 00:13:53,520 --> 00:13:58,160 Speaker 1: other Christmas traditions that are meant to keep children behaving, 220 00:13:58,400 --> 00:14:01,320 Speaker 1: right to obey the authority, used to obey the parents. 221 00:14:01,920 --> 00:14:05,240 Speaker 1: If you're good, you get toys. If you're bad, I 222 00:14:05,280 --> 00:14:08,720 Speaker 1: think the more modern tradition says you get coal or 223 00:14:08,880 --> 00:14:13,040 Speaker 1: a potato. Oh yeah, but you know not justoato. Potato 224 00:14:13,120 --> 00:14:17,840 Speaker 1: is at least a delicious snack if you potato put 225 00:14:17,880 --> 00:14:26,320 Speaker 1: in the stew right. I've been doing these potato have 226 00:14:26,360 --> 00:14:29,480 Speaker 1: you heard of? It's le extra work, but I love 227 00:14:29,520 --> 00:14:32,080 Speaker 1: it and I make them like once a week though, 228 00:14:32,680 --> 00:14:35,480 Speaker 1: very nice, very fancy. That's the thing, though, Ben, I mean, 229 00:14:35,520 --> 00:14:38,160 Speaker 1: like you know our traditions, you know, I mean, we've 230 00:14:38,160 --> 00:14:40,160 Speaker 1: talked about how Santa Claus is sort of the original 231 00:14:40,200 --> 00:14:44,560 Speaker 1: conspiracy theory that teaches children to distrust authorities, you know, 232 00:14:44,600 --> 00:14:48,080 Speaker 1: specifically parents, but he usually is revealed at some point, 233 00:14:48,320 --> 00:14:50,720 Speaker 1: whether the kids figured out themselves or the parents. You know. 234 00:14:50,800 --> 00:14:53,080 Speaker 1: Let the cat of the bag, not the child eating 235 00:14:53,120 --> 00:14:55,840 Speaker 1: catch just the proverbial cat um that this is all 236 00:14:55,920 --> 00:14:59,320 Speaker 1: kind of made up of folkloric type stuff. But the 237 00:14:59,480 --> 00:15:02,920 Speaker 1: understand ending in Iceland, even with the parents, for the 238 00:15:02,920 --> 00:15:06,280 Speaker 1: most part, is that these creatures are real. There is 239 00:15:06,320 --> 00:15:10,640 Speaker 1: a serious tradition of belief in in this kind of folklore, 240 00:15:10,920 --> 00:15:15,200 Speaker 1: especially in things like elves, which are oftentimes demonic spirits 241 00:15:15,280 --> 00:15:17,800 Speaker 1: of the forest. There was a show, I believe it 242 00:15:17,840 --> 00:15:20,800 Speaker 1: was an Icelandic show called Elves that was sort of 243 00:15:20,880 --> 00:15:23,840 Speaker 1: like almost like et meets the Gremlins kind of. It 244 00:15:23,880 --> 00:15:26,680 Speaker 1: wasn't my favorite, but it was about these flesh eating 245 00:15:26,880 --> 00:15:29,800 Speaker 1: elf creatures that you know reek havoc and cause you know, 246 00:15:29,920 --> 00:15:34,960 Speaker 1: utter chaos. So there is a pretty significant you know, 247 00:15:35,080 --> 00:15:39,120 Speaker 1: since that these are actual creatures that the dwell in 248 00:15:39,160 --> 00:15:42,560 Speaker 1: the in the surrounding woods. There is a guy by 249 00:15:42,600 --> 00:15:47,520 Speaker 1: the name of Magnus scarfion Insen who is the headmaster 250 00:15:47,640 --> 00:15:52,040 Speaker 1: of Iceland's Elf School and a top researcher of elf 251 00:15:52,680 --> 00:15:56,520 Speaker 1: folklore in Iceland, and he says that the l lads 252 00:15:57,000 --> 00:16:01,000 Speaker 1: more benign kind of presentation is a much more recent invention, 253 00:16:01,320 --> 00:16:04,600 Speaker 1: since Iceland has become a bit more of a a thriving, 254 00:16:04,960 --> 00:16:10,080 Speaker 1: kind of comparatively metropolitan area that's very big on tourism. 255 00:16:10,280 --> 00:16:14,120 Speaker 1: But there was a time when things were very very dire. 256 00:16:14,680 --> 00:16:17,840 Speaker 1: Food was very very scarce, and the winters were brutally 257 00:16:17,920 --> 00:16:21,280 Speaker 1: cold in times before you know, um centralized heating and 258 00:16:21,320 --> 00:16:23,600 Speaker 1: air and all of that stuff. So, uh, you, if 259 00:16:23,600 --> 00:16:26,400 Speaker 1: you think about it in those terms, these creatures coming 260 00:16:26,440 --> 00:16:30,040 Speaker 1: in and stealing your Christmas dinner or your candles, those 261 00:16:30,280 --> 00:16:35,120 Speaker 1: be serious threats to your lifelihood, to your survival. Yeah. Absolutely, 262 00:16:35,360 --> 00:16:39,120 Speaker 1: And we've got to go here to Terry garriluh, folklore's 263 00:16:39,160 --> 00:16:42,760 Speaker 1: professor at the University of Iceland Uh, and he talks 264 00:16:42,800 --> 00:16:47,720 Speaker 1: a little bit about the evolution of multiple separate cultural 265 00:16:47,760 --> 00:16:51,280 Speaker 1: traditions into what we call the hood folk or the 266 00:16:51,360 --> 00:16:55,960 Speaker 1: hidden people. Today. They're living too in a dimension just 267 00:16:56,080 --> 00:16:58,760 Speaker 1: to the left of yours. And it's true that at 268 00:16:58,800 --> 00:17:02,000 Speaker 1: times like construct action has been halted for fear of 269 00:17:02,000 --> 00:17:05,119 Speaker 1: offending the hidden folk. I'd love to hear from some 270 00:17:05,160 --> 00:17:08,640 Speaker 1: fellow ridiculous historians who have spent time in Iceland. I'd 271 00:17:08,640 --> 00:17:10,240 Speaker 1: love to hear your take on this. I think we 272 00:17:10,280 --> 00:17:14,399 Speaker 1: all would. The thing is Iceland is really a multicultural place. 273 00:17:15,000 --> 00:17:19,639 Speaker 1: Over time, these separate concepts that people brought with them 274 00:17:19,680 --> 00:17:22,840 Speaker 1: to the area merged in this collective idea of the 275 00:17:22,920 --> 00:17:27,320 Speaker 1: hidden people UH, and now there are multitudes of theories 276 00:17:27,359 --> 00:17:31,320 Speaker 1: about them, sometimes contradictory, one saying these were the quote 277 00:17:31,520 --> 00:17:35,000 Speaker 1: dirty strange children of ev that she hid from God 278 00:17:35,400 --> 00:17:38,600 Speaker 1: and when God discovered her secrets, condemned them to an 279 00:17:38,600 --> 00:17:41,480 Speaker 1: alternate world. And then of course other people say that 280 00:17:41,560 --> 00:17:46,920 Speaker 1: their fallen angels. You can encounter no shortage of anecdotes 281 00:17:47,160 --> 00:17:49,879 Speaker 1: of eyewitness accounts from people who believe they have, in 282 00:17:49,960 --> 00:17:55,400 Speaker 1: one way or another, encountered the Hidden Folk. You can 283 00:17:55,440 --> 00:17:59,439 Speaker 1: see a catalog of this over at the Elf School's website, 284 00:17:59,520 --> 00:18:03,080 Speaker 1: which is the elf school dot com. Just go to 285 00:18:03,280 --> 00:18:06,800 Speaker 1: contemporary tales and you will you will see people who 286 00:18:07,040 --> 00:18:11,879 Speaker 1: seem to genuinely believe they've run into something supernatural, extraordinary. 287 00:18:12,359 --> 00:18:15,560 Speaker 1: I think the Elf School said fifty four percent of 288 00:18:15,600 --> 00:18:19,000 Speaker 1: Icelanders just over half believe that the Hidden Folk are real. 289 00:18:19,600 --> 00:18:24,240 Speaker 1: It's strange because they are if they are treated as real. 290 00:18:25,280 --> 00:18:27,760 Speaker 1: What's strange about it is they've been treated as real 291 00:18:28,280 --> 00:18:32,520 Speaker 1: despite the fact that their image has tremendously softened from 292 00:18:32,600 --> 00:18:36,520 Speaker 1: the present day. UH. Over the past hundred years or so, 293 00:18:37,760 --> 00:18:42,240 Speaker 1: they've become much more friendly, much more like oh you little, 294 00:18:43,000 --> 00:18:47,760 Speaker 1: you little scamp, instead of being you know, the people 295 00:18:47,800 --> 00:18:50,320 Speaker 1: who might mean your family might not make it through winter. 296 00:18:50,880 --> 00:18:54,920 Speaker 1: They were guys who stole the Christmas food. They're sniffing, 297 00:18:54,920 --> 00:18:57,760 Speaker 1: you know, they're sniffing at the windows when you're cooking 298 00:18:57,760 --> 00:19:02,280 Speaker 1: the lamb uh. They're stealing milk from sheep. They might 299 00:19:02,480 --> 00:19:05,040 Speaker 1: leave you to starve. They eat the candles, and the 300 00:19:05,080 --> 00:19:10,720 Speaker 1: candles are important because candles provide warmth right when you're inside. Yeah. 301 00:19:11,000 --> 00:19:15,959 Speaker 1: I think a big factor of their evolution was really 302 00:19:16,119 --> 00:19:19,520 Speaker 1: the emergence of Christianity in Iceland, which didn't come about 303 00:19:19,600 --> 00:19:23,240 Speaker 1: until what one thousand CE, I think that's right. That 304 00:19:23,320 --> 00:19:26,560 Speaker 1: was after the King of Norway made it the law 305 00:19:26,600 --> 00:19:30,120 Speaker 1: of the land to be a Christian and sent missionaries 306 00:19:30,160 --> 00:19:33,879 Speaker 1: to convert the the indigenous people of Iceland. Of course, 307 00:19:34,000 --> 00:19:35,920 Speaker 1: you know, as we know, when these things happen, that 308 00:19:36,040 --> 00:19:40,040 Speaker 1: does not just white clean the slate of um. You know, 309 00:19:40,520 --> 00:19:44,959 Speaker 1: generations of tradition and folklore. But as we know, with 310 00:19:45,080 --> 00:19:48,200 Speaker 1: the way like pagan holidays oftentimes have emerged with Christian 311 00:19:48,480 --> 00:19:52,080 Speaker 1: traditions like Easter, and you know, things that were once 312 00:19:52,200 --> 00:19:55,800 Speaker 1: um looked very very different from what they became Uh, 313 00:19:55,840 --> 00:19:58,879 Speaker 1: they don't entirely disappear, They just sort of morph into 314 00:19:58,920 --> 00:20:02,520 Speaker 1: something more pallid double you know. For the Christian ruling regime, 315 00:20:03,160 --> 00:20:07,520 Speaker 1: and and oftentimes these things are encouraged or mandated by laws. 316 00:20:07,560 --> 00:20:09,520 Speaker 1: So there was a law that was passed in the 317 00:20:09,560 --> 00:20:14,040 Speaker 1: sixteenth century that said, quote all disorderly and scandalous entertainment 318 00:20:14,040 --> 00:20:17,840 Speaker 1: at Christmas and other times and Shrove Tide revels are 319 00:20:17,880 --> 00:20:21,840 Speaker 1: strongly forbidden on pain of serious punishment. And then in 320 00:20:21,920 --> 00:20:25,360 Speaker 1: seventeen forty six there was a public decree that actually 321 00:20:25,440 --> 00:20:29,320 Speaker 1: forbid telling children about the you lads in order to 322 00:20:29,400 --> 00:20:33,600 Speaker 1: scare them straight. As they say, yeah, the idea was 323 00:20:33,680 --> 00:20:38,760 Speaker 1: that this, this story as it was told, was so 324 00:20:38,920 --> 00:20:42,920 Speaker 1: terrified that it was in a way traumatic to children. 325 00:20:43,400 --> 00:20:47,919 Speaker 1: So for the good of the kids, the young guy slanders, 326 00:20:48,480 --> 00:20:52,919 Speaker 1: we've got to stop unnecessarily scaring the pants off of them. 327 00:20:53,160 --> 00:20:55,320 Speaker 1: You know. It's it doesn't seem like a hot take 328 00:20:55,359 --> 00:20:59,400 Speaker 1: today to say, hey, we shouldn't normalize telling our children 329 00:20:59,720 --> 00:21:02,359 Speaker 1: that a monster will throw them in a sack and 330 00:21:02,400 --> 00:21:05,440 Speaker 1: then kill them at the tender young age of six 331 00:21:05,800 --> 00:21:08,960 Speaker 1: by boiling them alive. I don't think that's a hot take. 332 00:21:09,280 --> 00:21:12,760 Speaker 1: Maybe it was a different time. You know, just say 333 00:21:12,640 --> 00:21:21,840 Speaker 1: they're they're trying to steal the milk. There were always 334 00:21:22,000 --> 00:21:27,119 Speaker 1: conflicting accounts about the Yule Lads. We've normalized the number 335 00:21:27,200 --> 00:21:30,720 Speaker 1: thirteen that's considered canonical now, but back in the day 336 00:21:30,720 --> 00:21:33,560 Speaker 1: you would hear people say there are eighty of these jokers. 337 00:21:33,880 --> 00:21:37,120 Speaker 1: That's a long way to Christmas. If they're showing up 338 00:21:37,200 --> 00:21:40,199 Speaker 1: one day after the next. Of course, they say they 339 00:21:40,200 --> 00:21:44,919 Speaker 1: have different personalities. One of the reasons for their recent 340 00:21:45,000 --> 00:21:48,760 Speaker 1: popularity can be traced back to nineteen thirty two. A 341 00:21:48,920 --> 00:21:54,840 Speaker 1: poem by Johans Frog coulm is sort of you'll hear 342 00:21:54,840 --> 00:21:58,760 Speaker 1: it compared to like the Night before Christmas. There's an 343 00:21:58,760 --> 00:22:05,240 Speaker 1: English translation and this poem from two It is pretty 344 00:22:05,280 --> 00:22:08,560 Speaker 1: simple rhyme scheme, and it's pretty fun to say. It's 345 00:22:09,240 --> 00:22:11,720 Speaker 1: just to give you the beginning. Let me tell the 346 00:22:11,800 --> 00:22:14,920 Speaker 1: story of the lads, a few charms who once upon 347 00:22:14,960 --> 00:22:18,239 Speaker 1: a time used to visit our bombs. And it just 348 00:22:18,280 --> 00:22:21,800 Speaker 1: goes on about, you know, describing everything we've described. Uh, 349 00:22:21,920 --> 00:22:26,080 Speaker 1: they're mean, but it makes it seem like they're way 350 00:22:26,119 --> 00:22:29,679 Speaker 1: more fun. Right, They're not trying to kill you. They 351 00:22:29,720 --> 00:22:32,840 Speaker 1: don't bring the cat to eat you. Uh, it's it's 352 00:22:32,880 --> 00:22:36,600 Speaker 1: supposed to kind of make it make it sound whimsical, 353 00:22:37,119 --> 00:22:40,600 Speaker 1: sort of the same way that Father Christmas went through 354 00:22:40,640 --> 00:22:43,720 Speaker 1: so many iterations until Coca Cola nailed down what he 355 00:22:43,760 --> 00:22:45,840 Speaker 1: looked like. Right, And now all of a sudden we 356 00:22:45,880 --> 00:22:47,879 Speaker 1: have the polar bear. I love that polar bear. I 357 00:22:47,880 --> 00:22:51,400 Speaker 1: don't care. Polar bears are awesome. I mean, they're you know, terrifying. 358 00:22:51,440 --> 00:22:54,320 Speaker 1: They'll definitely like rip your head off and uh and 359 00:22:54,320 --> 00:22:56,880 Speaker 1: and eat your guts. But you know, the cuddly cg 360 00:22:57,000 --> 00:23:01,159 Speaker 1: i ones are nice. They enjoy cocacola, not human flash again, 361 00:23:01,480 --> 00:23:05,920 Speaker 1: sanitized version of all things where holidays are concerned. Um, 362 00:23:05,960 --> 00:23:11,400 Speaker 1: because you know, we see the rhyming delight of this poem. 363 00:23:11,480 --> 00:23:14,400 Speaker 1: Kind of presenting these youule lads is more kind of borish, 364 00:23:14,520 --> 00:23:17,639 Speaker 1: sort of oh fish kind of creatures not necessarily out 365 00:23:17,760 --> 00:23:21,920 Speaker 1: to do harm, but just more you know, kind of pranksters. Yeah, 366 00:23:21,960 --> 00:23:24,320 Speaker 1: and they do have a bit of a mean streak, 367 00:23:24,680 --> 00:23:28,440 Speaker 1: but they don't really necessarily mean to do any children 368 00:23:28,480 --> 00:23:31,320 Speaker 1: any particular harm. And you know, to your point about 369 00:23:31,520 --> 00:23:34,399 Speaker 1: nailing down kind of what they look like, they've started 370 00:23:34,440 --> 00:23:38,920 Speaker 1: to take on much more of a sort of socially acceptable, 371 00:23:39,560 --> 00:23:43,240 Speaker 1: white bearded Santa Clause, sort of David the Gnome kind 372 00:23:43,240 --> 00:23:48,359 Speaker 1: of vibe. Yeah yeah, And these costumes apparently don't reflect 373 00:23:48,400 --> 00:23:51,760 Speaker 1: the real deal Ule lads you'd meet on the mean 374 00:23:51,880 --> 00:23:55,440 Speaker 1: streets of Iceland. One folklore tells us they've met more 375 00:23:55,440 --> 00:23:58,879 Speaker 1: than eight hundred Icelanders that believe they've seen elves and 376 00:23:59,040 --> 00:24:02,359 Speaker 1: four or five leave they've seen Yule lads. And the 377 00:24:02,400 --> 00:24:05,280 Speaker 1: Yule lads that these folks said they saw were always 378 00:24:05,280 --> 00:24:09,320 Speaker 1: described as old fashioned, dressed, pool a little dirty, a 379 00:24:09,320 --> 00:24:13,159 Speaker 1: little rude, and hungry trying to get food, which that 380 00:24:13,240 --> 00:24:15,359 Speaker 1: could be a lot of people. That's very true. But 381 00:24:15,440 --> 00:24:17,760 Speaker 1: let's also not forget that this was all based on 382 00:24:17,920 --> 00:24:21,760 Speaker 1: scarcity and the threat of starvation, right because not only 383 00:24:21,800 --> 00:24:24,840 Speaker 1: are the Yule lads stealing food from children and from 384 00:24:24,880 --> 00:24:28,399 Speaker 1: these families, they are in need of stealing food because 385 00:24:28,440 --> 00:24:31,639 Speaker 1: they themselves are relegated to living in caves and this 386 00:24:31,920 --> 00:24:35,240 Speaker 1: very scrappy dog eat dog existence, you know, I mean, 387 00:24:35,440 --> 00:24:37,600 Speaker 1: I don't know, it's it's it's it's clear that Gorilla 388 00:24:38,000 --> 00:24:41,199 Speaker 1: and and her husband with the unpronounceable name like to 389 00:24:41,280 --> 00:24:44,480 Speaker 1: feast on human flesh, but the the Yule Lads that 390 00:24:44,560 --> 00:24:50,080 Speaker 1: seem require human sustenance like sausages and batter and and 391 00:24:50,080 --> 00:24:52,840 Speaker 1: cookies and stuff. So I mean they live a pretty 392 00:24:52,880 --> 00:24:56,080 Speaker 1: tortured existence. It would seem. Yeah. Yeah, it's like we're 393 00:24:56,080 --> 00:25:00,840 Speaker 1: saying earlier, folklore is amazing because as it gives us 394 00:25:00,920 --> 00:25:05,040 Speaker 1: this insight into the story and evolution of the culture 395 00:25:05,160 --> 00:25:09,400 Speaker 1: from which it originates. And he nailed it, man, The 396 00:25:09,440 --> 00:25:15,560 Speaker 1: Iceland was not a super easy place to live for 397 00:25:15,640 --> 00:25:18,040 Speaker 1: a long long time before you have the advent of 398 00:25:18,240 --> 00:25:24,000 Speaker 1: heating technology or different supply chains to transport food. That's 399 00:25:24,000 --> 00:25:27,120 Speaker 1: why that's why some things are so expensive in Iceland. 400 00:25:27,160 --> 00:25:30,280 Speaker 1: It is a harsh environment and the Yule Lads, in 401 00:25:30,440 --> 00:25:34,800 Speaker 1: very real way, are a story about that. And now 402 00:25:34,840 --> 00:25:40,040 Speaker 1: that Iceland has become less of a threatening environment, right 403 00:25:40,600 --> 00:25:43,399 Speaker 1: for people living in the modern day, it kind of 404 00:25:43,440 --> 00:25:46,800 Speaker 1: makes sense that the Yule Lads would chill out a 405 00:25:46,840 --> 00:25:51,800 Speaker 1: little bit, you know, they get a slightly less intense vibe. 406 00:25:51,800 --> 00:25:56,240 Speaker 1: But the story is real. It did terrify children for 407 00:25:56,280 --> 00:26:00,520 Speaker 1: a long time, and it is true it got so 408 00:26:00,600 --> 00:26:05,639 Speaker 1: bad that the story eventually for a while was banned. Yeah, 409 00:26:05,680 --> 00:26:08,360 Speaker 1: and I mean, you know, now I think it's more 410 00:26:08,520 --> 00:26:11,760 Speaker 1: like uh St Nicholas kind of situation where they'll leave 411 00:26:11,840 --> 00:26:17,119 Speaker 1: little bags of toys and children's shoes. Yeah, now they're benevolent, 412 00:26:18,119 --> 00:26:20,240 Speaker 1: you know, and they do sort of I think the 413 00:26:20,280 --> 00:26:22,679 Speaker 1: idea of of the lead up to Christmas in this 414 00:26:22,800 --> 00:26:25,159 Speaker 1: part of the country, and I think even in in 415 00:26:25,520 --> 00:26:27,600 Speaker 1: Germany and other parts of Europe, there's a bit of 416 00:26:27,600 --> 00:26:30,280 Speaker 1: a mischief kind of quality to it. Like I almost 417 00:26:30,280 --> 00:26:34,880 Speaker 1: think that uh, Christmas in Europe and in Iceland parts 418 00:26:34,880 --> 00:26:37,320 Speaker 1: of the world like that, it's almost like a combination 419 00:26:37,440 --> 00:26:39,840 Speaker 1: of what we know as Christmas here and what we 420 00:26:39,880 --> 00:26:43,040 Speaker 1: would we would celebrate as Halloween. You know, there's a 421 00:26:43,080 --> 00:26:45,880 Speaker 1: lot more of like a spirit kind of like quality 422 00:26:45,960 --> 00:26:48,520 Speaker 1: to it, and like you know, ghosts and ghouls and 423 00:26:48,600 --> 00:26:52,760 Speaker 1: things like that around Christmas. Yeah, it's interesting because there's 424 00:26:52,880 --> 00:26:58,320 Speaker 1: a you see again the religious syncretism, because we sall 425 00:26:58,560 --> 00:27:01,800 Speaker 1: see a lot of pre Chris and traditions that got 426 00:27:01,880 --> 00:27:06,560 Speaker 1: folded into various stories. You know, it's the same reason 427 00:27:07,040 --> 00:27:09,760 Speaker 1: Easter all of a sudden has a rabbit and eggs, 428 00:27:10,080 --> 00:27:14,960 Speaker 1: which is not biblical canon but fun ydeo. I wanted 429 00:27:15,000 --> 00:27:18,359 Speaker 1: to take a second before we wrapped today's episode and 430 00:27:18,440 --> 00:27:23,439 Speaker 1: talk about one of my favorite weird genres, of film, 431 00:27:23,840 --> 00:27:27,639 Speaker 1: which is the Christmas horror story. Have you guys seen 432 00:27:28,000 --> 00:27:31,920 Speaker 1: Rare Exports a Christmas tale? I haven't, but you've mentioned 433 00:27:31,960 --> 00:27:33,640 Speaker 1: a couple of times, and a good friend of mine 434 00:27:33,920 --> 00:27:37,000 Speaker 1: has also suggested that I check out. I have seen Crampas, 435 00:27:37,359 --> 00:27:39,680 Speaker 1: which is a lot of fun and very gremlin z. 436 00:27:39,880 --> 00:27:43,159 Speaker 1: But I've heard great things about Rare Exports. Yeah, and 437 00:27:43,200 --> 00:27:48,000 Speaker 1: it's uh, it's appropriate for older children. It's it's like 438 00:27:48,040 --> 00:27:52,760 Speaker 1: a fantasy action horror film that's from Oh it's from Finland, 439 00:27:52,800 --> 00:27:55,160 Speaker 1: that's right. I don't want to spoil it. But it's 440 00:27:55,200 --> 00:28:00,880 Speaker 1: about the secret behind the real Santa Claus and that's 441 00:28:00,920 --> 00:28:03,520 Speaker 1: pretty great. Yeah, so check it out, get a time. 442 00:28:03,600 --> 00:28:07,000 Speaker 1: Crampus is cool to you know, we're you know what 443 00:28:07,000 --> 00:28:09,080 Speaker 1: we're doing. No, let's say this. Let's say we're not 444 00:28:09,200 --> 00:28:13,000 Speaker 1: late with our Christmas episode. We're very very early, and 445 00:28:13,040 --> 00:28:14,960 Speaker 1: we want to give you time. We want to give 446 00:28:15,000 --> 00:28:19,760 Speaker 1: you time to check out some of these amazing, amazing 447 00:28:19,880 --> 00:28:23,119 Speaker 1: stories Christmas horror films, but also stories like this around 448 00:28:23,119 --> 00:28:28,040 Speaker 1: the world that come from someplace much older. It's fascinating. Yeah, 449 00:28:28,040 --> 00:28:31,600 Speaker 1: and if if if many folks maybe not particularly familiar 450 00:28:31,760 --> 00:28:34,200 Speaker 1: with some of these more niche kind of holiday traditions 451 00:28:34,200 --> 00:28:36,800 Speaker 1: from around the world. Uh, the You Lads and Gorilla 452 00:28:36,800 --> 00:28:39,680 Speaker 1: in particular have not terribly long ago. Back in two 453 00:28:39,720 --> 00:28:43,040 Speaker 1: thousand and eighteen, made an appearance in a pretty mainstream 454 00:28:43,160 --> 00:28:46,600 Speaker 1: Netflix show called the what is it The Chilling Adventures 455 00:28:46,600 --> 00:28:49,760 Speaker 1: of Sabrina Um, which is a kind of more adult 456 00:28:49,920 --> 00:28:53,760 Speaker 1: kind of teen um retelling of Sabrina the Teenage which 457 00:28:53,920 --> 00:28:55,960 Speaker 1: which was I think it was a maybe a book 458 00:28:56,000 --> 00:28:58,600 Speaker 1: series and then it was a TV series starring Melissa 459 00:28:58,680 --> 00:29:01,760 Speaker 1: Joan Hart. You'll remember of a certain age, folks of 460 00:29:01,760 --> 00:29:04,440 Speaker 1: a certain age from Clarissa explains at all, but um, 461 00:29:04,600 --> 00:29:07,400 Speaker 1: The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina has got a lot more 462 00:29:07,520 --> 00:29:10,719 Speaker 1: kind of satanism and like ghouls and demons and all 463 00:29:10,800 --> 00:29:13,880 Speaker 1: kinds of crazy gore and and uh and creepy stuff 464 00:29:13,880 --> 00:29:17,080 Speaker 1: in And there is a Christmas special of that series 465 00:29:17,160 --> 00:29:20,000 Speaker 1: that specifically talks about Gorilla and the You Lads. So 466 00:29:20,040 --> 00:29:21,640 Speaker 1: I haven't seen it, but I look forward to checking 467 00:29:21,680 --> 00:29:23,080 Speaker 1: it out because that sounds like a lot of fun. 468 00:29:23,440 --> 00:29:25,960 Speaker 1: I kind of also want to go hunting. I want 469 00:29:25,960 --> 00:29:28,400 Speaker 1: to not hunting. That's the wrong word, hidden folk. If 470 00:29:28,400 --> 00:29:31,400 Speaker 1: you're hearing this, I apologize for that. I want to 471 00:29:31,440 --> 00:29:34,520 Speaker 1: go on an expedition to Iceland to see what's what, 472 00:29:34,880 --> 00:29:38,480 Speaker 1: see if we can find some hidden folk, inner culturally 473 00:29:38,680 --> 00:29:42,120 Speaker 1: respectful way. Would you guys go with me totally? As 474 00:29:42,120 --> 00:29:43,800 Speaker 1: long as you as long as you lead the way, 475 00:29:44,320 --> 00:29:47,600 Speaker 1: I'll bring up the rear. You just pay for it, Ben, 476 00:29:47,680 --> 00:29:51,720 Speaker 1: I'm in oh oh no, no, we're gonna yeah, We're 477 00:29:51,720 --> 00:29:54,880 Speaker 1: gonna try to get this to be something that that 478 00:29:55,040 --> 00:29:57,400 Speaker 1: her boss has will let us put in the budget. 479 00:29:57,480 --> 00:30:02,200 Speaker 1: So ridiculous Histories World Tour started in Iceland, folks, let's 480 00:30:02,240 --> 00:30:05,920 Speaker 1: manifest it as our spiritual friends say. Let's make it happen. 481 00:30:06,320 --> 00:30:08,640 Speaker 1: Thank you in advance so much to everybody who comes 482 00:30:08,640 --> 00:30:11,160 Speaker 1: out and sees us live in Iceland. Thank you to 483 00:30:11,280 --> 00:30:15,440 Speaker 1: Cigaret Ross. Thank you to our super producer Mr Max 484 00:30:15,520 --> 00:30:18,960 Speaker 1: Williams and nol So glad you're back from your travels. 485 00:30:19,040 --> 00:30:21,719 Speaker 1: It sounds like you had a wonderful time. Are you 486 00:30:21,760 --> 00:30:25,480 Speaker 1: going to go back around Christmas time to Europe? You know, 487 00:30:25,640 --> 00:30:27,320 Speaker 1: I think it's might be a little cold for me. 488 00:30:27,400 --> 00:30:29,080 Speaker 1: But I did have such a great time in Berlin 489 00:30:29,160 --> 00:30:31,680 Speaker 1: in particular, and made some really good friends and met 490 00:30:31,680 --> 00:30:34,000 Speaker 1: a few really great listeners. No one from this show 491 00:30:34,000 --> 00:30:36,040 Speaker 1: in particular but some folks from stuff they don't want 492 00:30:36,040 --> 00:30:38,160 Speaker 1: you to know. And and movie crush r I P. 493 00:30:38,640 --> 00:30:40,000 Speaker 1: But yeah, I liked it so much. I think I 494 00:30:40,000 --> 00:30:41,800 Speaker 1: want to go back once a year. Um, I really, 495 00:30:41,880 --> 00:30:44,160 Speaker 1: I think it was my favorite city I've ever visited. 496 00:30:44,520 --> 00:30:46,960 Speaker 1: And and and last little pop cultural touchstone on this type 497 00:30:46,960 --> 00:30:49,520 Speaker 1: of thing. It's Norwegian. But there is a film called 498 00:30:49,560 --> 00:30:53,440 Speaker 1: troll Hunter, uh from um I believe the early two 499 00:30:53,440 --> 00:30:56,600 Speaker 1: thousands that is like a found footage kind of Blair 500 00:30:56,600 --> 00:31:01,760 Speaker 1: Witch type thing um directed by and A overdall Um 501 00:31:01,760 --> 00:31:05,480 Speaker 1: that I quite enjoyed. I love this one. There's also 502 00:31:05,840 --> 00:31:08,640 Speaker 1: I've been waiting for a sequel for years, but I 503 00:31:08,680 --> 00:31:13,000 Speaker 1: think the sequel got canceled, so enjoy enjoy troll Hunter 504 00:31:13,800 --> 00:31:16,320 Speaker 1: for what it is now. It's aged well too. I 505 00:31:16,320 --> 00:31:19,520 Speaker 1: actually recently had that on in the background when he's 506 00:31:19,560 --> 00:31:23,840 Speaker 1: doing some research on trolls and speaking controls. Thank you 507 00:31:23,880 --> 00:31:27,000 Speaker 1: as well as always to our own terrifying you will 508 00:31:27,080 --> 00:31:30,640 Speaker 1: add Mr Jonathan Strickland, a k. The Quister. How's that 509 00:31:30,760 --> 00:31:34,080 Speaker 1: for a thank you segue? He is the quintessential bridge troll. 510 00:31:34,360 --> 00:31:36,600 Speaker 1: I love it, uh, and he actually does make you 511 00:31:36,600 --> 00:31:38,560 Speaker 1: solve a riddle to get through That's basically what he 512 00:31:38,560 --> 00:31:42,480 Speaker 1: does every time that we encounter him, not even even 513 00:31:42,480 --> 00:31:44,680 Speaker 1: when we're not on air. It's like, man, I'm just 514 00:31:44,800 --> 00:31:48,040 Speaker 1: trying to get some coffee, and he's like, coffee there. 515 00:31:48,160 --> 00:31:54,760 Speaker 1: Maybe if you answer these riddles three like come on exactly. Yeah. 516 00:31:54,760 --> 00:31:56,920 Speaker 1: It's been nice not having to go into the office 517 00:31:56,920 --> 00:31:58,840 Speaker 1: as much, so we can usually avoid that, but then 518 00:31:58,880 --> 00:32:00,959 Speaker 1: sometimes it does pop into zoom and trying to make 519 00:32:01,000 --> 00:32:03,160 Speaker 1: me answer riddles and I'm like, I already have my coffee, Man, 520 00:32:03,280 --> 00:32:05,440 Speaker 1: I don't need you be gone, and then I just 521 00:32:05,480 --> 00:32:07,800 Speaker 1: kick him off the zoom uh and then he sends 522 00:32:07,840 --> 00:32:12,120 Speaker 1: me a sad face emoji. And speaking of sending things, 523 00:32:12,360 --> 00:32:17,440 Speaker 1: we would love to hear stories of regional holiday celebrations 524 00:32:17,560 --> 00:32:21,360 Speaker 1: unique to your part of the world, so let us know. 525 00:32:21,520 --> 00:32:24,480 Speaker 1: You can find us on the Internet where we are 526 00:32:24,800 --> 00:32:28,360 Speaker 1: Ridiculous Historians on Facebook. You can also find us on 527 00:32:28,400 --> 00:32:32,640 Speaker 1: Twitter and Instagram, not just as a show, but as individuals. 528 00:32:32,920 --> 00:32:36,280 Speaker 1: You can follow my urban exploration and my weird research 529 00:32:36,320 --> 00:32:39,360 Speaker 1: stuff on Twitter at ben Bull and hs W, or 530 00:32:39,440 --> 00:32:41,880 Speaker 1: you can find me on Instagram where I am at 531 00:32:41,960 --> 00:32:44,800 Speaker 1: ben Bowling bow l I n big things coming there. 532 00:32:44,920 --> 00:32:48,520 Speaker 1: Stay tuned or stay tuned, Mr Noel Brown, Are the 533 00:32:48,640 --> 00:32:52,320 Speaker 1: rumors true, my friend? Are you sipping the social meats? Well? 534 00:32:52,360 --> 00:32:55,160 Speaker 1: I don't really play into rumor mongering, but um I 535 00:32:55,200 --> 00:32:57,320 Speaker 1: do in fact having Instagram account which you can find 536 00:32:57,360 --> 00:32:59,760 Speaker 1: at how now Noel Brown and I do have a 537 00:32:59,760 --> 00:33:03,600 Speaker 1: couple of actual grid posts with some random snaps from 538 00:33:03,600 --> 00:33:05,960 Speaker 1: my from my adventure in Berlin, so you can check 539 00:33:05,960 --> 00:33:09,000 Speaker 1: that out there. Huge thanks to Max Williams, brother of 540 00:33:09,120 --> 00:33:12,240 Speaker 1: Max Williams. It's like a bride of Frankenstein situation. Um 541 00:33:12,320 --> 00:33:16,160 Speaker 1: Alex Williams who composed this theme. Christopher haciotis E Jeff 542 00:33:16,200 --> 00:33:19,240 Speaker 1: Coats here in spirit you Ben Bolan, my main you 543 00:33:19,400 --> 00:33:30,160 Speaker 1: a lad. We'll see you next tep books. For more 544 00:33:30,200 --> 00:33:32,680 Speaker 1: podcasts from My Heart Radio, visit the I Heart Radio app, 545 00:33:32,720 --> 00:33:35,800 Speaker 1: Apple podcast, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.