Yule Lad no. 8: Skyrgámur

When Skyrgámur gets into a barrel of skyr odds are there won't be any left

The Icelandic Yule Lads are the sons of the trolls Grýla and Leppalúði. They come down from the mountains, one each of the thirteen nights before Christmas bringing children small treats In the days of yore however, they were anything but nice. Instead of bringing treats, they came to scare peple and steal what was most precious to them, their food.

Yule Lad no. 8 is Skyrgámur (Skyr Gobbler). He loves skyr.* He dreams about it all year long. He can't get enough of the stuff. Sometimes it gets him in trouble because he'll eat up all the skyr he gets his hands on, even barrels of it. Guess who's not too quick on his feet after a feast like that?

*Skyr is an Icelandic dairy product that's very low in fat and high in protein. It has a very tangy taste and a texture similar to cream cheese. It's best served with cream, sugar and blueberries in my opinion. But Skyrgámur isn't particular ... he'll eat it plain if that's all he finds.

The Icelandic Christmas Legends ornaments from Raven Design, featuring the Yule Lads, Grýla, Leppalúði and the Yule Cat are now available in my online shop. Shipping is available to Europe and N-America, if your country is not listed, but you would like to buy the ornaments send me a line at gardaflora@gardaflora.is.