Yule Cat

Menagerie of Myths

Dec 5

Artwork by Benedetta Fiore. ArtStation | Instagram

Origin: Iceland

Other names: Jólakötturinn

Most kids nowadays groan when they get clothes for Christmas—but that’s because they’ve never heard of the Yule Cat. It prowls the night and devours children who don’t receive new clothes on Christmas. It stands taller than a house and peers into windows in search of such prey.

The oldest written accounts go back to the 1800s, where it’s said that children who behave well and complete their chores are gifted new clothes for the holiday. However, lazy children who shirk their duties must answer to the Yule Cat.

While this tale certainly provides children with the motivation to obey their parents, it’s also meant to inspire generosity among the more fortunate. If a child with lots of new clothes sees one without, they can gift the less fortunate child with some—and thus save them from a grisly fate.