Christmas Link Dump

Merry Christmas!!

Or if you celebrate something else:
Happy Holidays!!

Or of you don't find this season especially celebratory:

Happy Tuesday!!

I celebrate Christmas. Like many folks who do, my family has traditions. We eat potato tortillas, dance in a circle around the tree, and take naps. Also, we're told that Santa leaves coal instead of presents for bad children. In my wanderings on the internet I've discovered a couple of coal alternatives I found amusing. As ever, I'd like to share!

Yule Cat

This year, I discovered The legend of Jólakötturinn, or the Yule Cat.

In short, since at least the 1800's, folks in Iceland have been telling their children that an evil cat will eat them if they don't receive a new set of clothes for Christmas. According to the link above, it was to keep them from being lazy when making wool. Darn lazy child laborers... 

The cat is actually just an old accessory to a larger group of folk characters still widely celebrated in Iceland today: Yule Lads. But I wanted you to have something fun to think about the next time you look at that cheesy holiday card from your aunt with a cat on the front.

Krampus

Photo Source

Last year, I discovered Krampus. He travels with Saint Nicholas in "Alpine Countries" (Wikipedia's words). Like the Yule Cat, Krampus takes naughty children away. What's more, he's very scary to look at and he doesn't eat them. They just go away. To his lair. Also unlike the obscure feline, the Krampus legend is still alive and well. Traditionally, young men dress up as Krampus in early December and " roam the streets frightening children with rusty chains and bells".


Ugliest Christmas Sweater

Thanks to the magic of the internet, you can cover both bases this year by giving your child(ren) this lovely evil-cat-repelling sweater.


Timmy's Awkward Christmas

Remember Pocket Princesses? Amy, the artist who makes them has also done a cute Christmas story. The whole thing is available to read at her tumblr for free!


Help

I hate to end on a serious note, but this is a rough time of year for lots of people. With that in mind, I'm going to leave this here. Her Highness, the Bloggess suggested it, and I quite agree with her.


I wish you a Jolly Holiday. May it be free of monsters, inside and out!