by Thor, age 7, asks the Yule Lads do you leave small gifts in shoes placed on windowsills?, about Iceland’s volcanoes and glaciers, and its ancient Althing parliament
Dear the Yule Lads,
My name is Thor and I am 7 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, do you leave small gifts in shoes placed on windowsills?
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 laufabraud and a cup of tea.
Love, Thor, age 7, Reykjavik, Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland
From the Desk of the Yule Lads
Dear Thor, thank you for the treat, it was wonderful. Now, your questions.
Do you leave small gifts in shoes placed on windowsills?
We do, small gifts for children who have behaved well, and a potato for those who have not, left in a shoe on the windowsill each 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, Thor.
Ho ho ho, the Yule Lads
