by Kári, age 9, asks the Yule Lads wait, you are thirteen different Santas? That’s a lot!, about Iceland’s volcanoes and glaciers, and its ancient Althing parliament
Dear the Yule Lads,
My name is Kári and I am 9 years old. I live in Reykjavik, Iceland, where thirteen different visitors come one at a time in the thirteen nights before Christmas, and I leave my shoe on the windowsill every single evening to see what they bring.
First, wait, you are thirteen different Santas? That’s a lot!
Second, a geography question: is Iceland more famous for its volcanoes or its glaciers?
Third, a school question about my country: why is Iceland’s parliament considered one of the oldest in the world?
I left out a slice of vinarterta cake and milk.
Love, Kári, age 9, Reykjavik, Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland
From the Desk of the Yule Lads
Dear Kári, thank you for the treat, it was wonderful. Now, your questions.
Wait, you are thirteen different Santas? That’s a lot!
In a way, yes, though we prefer to think of ourselves as thirteen brothers rather than thirteen separate Santas, each with our own particular habit and our own particular night.
Is Iceland more famous for its volcanoes or its glaciers?
Iceland is famous for both, often called the Land of Fire and Ice, because it sits on a very active geological hot spot with numerous volcanoes, while at the same time huge glaciers cover a large part of the island.
Why is Iceland’s parliament considered one of the oldest in the world?
Iceland’s parliament, called the Althing, was founded in the year 930, making it one of the oldest continuously running parliaments anywhere on Earth. It began as an outdoor assembly where free men gathered to make laws, and its long, unbroken history remains a source of great pride for Icelanders.
Gledileg jol, Kári.
Ho ho ho, the Yule Lads
