Consolation prize

Julie and I considered a layover in Iceland as part of this trip but decided it would be cold enough for us in Germany. Imagine our delight when we discovered that Strasbourg selected Iceland to highlight in a side market this year. There I learned the story of the 13 mischievous Yule Lads that come, one at a time, in the 13 days leading up to Christmas and stay for two weeks. Children leave a window cracked open and a shoe on the window sill before they go to bed. Each Yule lad will leave a small present in the shoe. The lads keep an eye on the children and if they catch naughty children they leave a potato instead of a present.

My namesake must be Pvoörusleikir, or Spoon Licker. He likes wooden spoons and will come in and lick any spoons left dirty. Spoon Licker arrives on Dec 15 and leaves on Dec 28, my birthday!