My long dark days in Iceland

Many of you don't know that I lived in Iceland for 3  l-o-n-g years.  We were stationed there, and once they get you on island, they don't let you leave.  I flew all the way to Iceland with an 18month and a 3yr old.  They were entertaining to say the least

They were fun, mostly indoor days of little kid stuff!  

The holidays are always special for kids, and the fact that we were in a different country made it all the better!

In Iceland you have...  The Yule Lads

They are 13 TROLLS that come down from the mountains to cause mischief in the towns!

They all have really funny expressions and names:

Pot scraper

 Window Peeper

 Meat Hook

and sausage swiper, and spoon licker, and candle beggar (who steals the children's candles) just to name a few.

Now a days they are dressed like Santa in red and white suits, and they GIVE things to children.  I remember being down town and a tall skinny Santa gave the girls candles.  But the stories are funnier when they are causing mischief!  and peeping in your window... and licking your spoons and scraping your pots!!!

We also used to put our shoes in the window for the trolls (as these Yule Lads are really trolls).  they would leave little candy if you were good or rocks or potatoes if you were bad.  One time Lauren got a potato in her shoe, but switched it out with Kieri's candy before she got up and exclaimed...."Kieri was bad so she got a potato"- she was a mischievous troll herself!

It really was a dark world up there... If you didn't get outside at 12noon for lunch, you wouldn't see the sun at all.  Of course it was a complete turn around in the summer.  Yes I much preferred the summer!