Viimeiset viikot hurahtivat ohi aika vauhdilla, nyt kuin huomaamatta olen jo junassa Savonlinnaan joulunviettoon. Yritän palata vielä viimeisiin tunnelmiin myöhemmin, nyt vähän joulua väliin. Kuvassa on kirjakaupan seinään Reykjavikissa heijastettu liikkuva Jólakötturinn. Tämä jouluinen kissa vie mennessään lapset, jotka eivät ole saaneet ollenkaan uusia vaatteita jouluksi. Tarina tässä takana on ilmeisesti se, että ennen työt tehtiin valmiiksi ennen joulua ja laiskat eivät saaneet palkkioksi vaatteita, eli kissa vei siis laiskat työläiset. Joulukissa syö kai itsekin lapsia, mutta sen tarkoituksena on viedä lapset Grýlalle, jólasveinarien äidille, joka sitten syö lapset. Näistä valloittavista hahmoista löytyy aika hyvin tarinaa englanniksi ainakin täältä ja täältä.

Jouluntoivotuksena liitän tähän Jóhannes ur Kötlumin (kääntänyt Vignir Jónsson) runon Jólin koma eli joulu tulee. Turvallista joulua kaikille, toivottavasti kissa ei vie. 

You all know the Yule Cat 

And that Cat was huge indeed. 

People didn't know where he came from 

Or where he went.

He opened his glaring eyes wide, 

The two of them glowing bright. 

It took a really brave man 

To look straight into them.

His whiskers, sharp as bristles, 

His back arched up high. 

And the claws of his hairy paws 

Were a terrible sight.

He gave a wave of his strong tail, 

He jumped and he clawed and he hissed. 

Sometimes up in the valley, 

Sometimes down by the shore.

He roamed at large, hungry and evil 

In the freezing Yule snow. 

In every home 

People shuddered at his name.

If one heard a pitiful "meow" 

Something evil would happen soon. 

Everybody knew he hunted men 

But didn't care for mice.

He picked on the very poor 

That no new garments got 

For Yule - who toiled 

And lived in dire need.

From them he took in one fell swoop 

Their whole Yule dinner 

Always eating it himself 

If he possibly could.

Hence it was that the women 

At their spinning wheels sat 

Spinning a colorful thread 

For a frock or a little sock.

Because you mustn't let the Cat 

Get hold of the little children. 

They had to get something new to wear 

From the grownups each year.

And when the lights came on, on Yule Eve 

And the Cat peered in, 

The little children stood rosy and proud 

All dressed up in their new clothes.

Some had gotten an apron 

And some had gotten shoes 

Or something that was needed 

- That was all it took.

For all who got something new to wear 

Stayed out of that pussy-cat's grasp 

He then gave an awful hiss 

But went on his way.

Whether he still exists I do not know. 

But his visit would be in vain 

If next time everybody 

Got something new to wear.

Now you might be thinking of helping 

Where help is needed most. 

Perhaps you'll find some children 

That have nothing at all.

Perhaps searching for those 

That live in a lightless world 

Will give you a happy day 

And a Merry, Merry Yule.