Kickstart Christmas on the night of December 11th by putting your shoe in the window. Leave your shoe in the window For 13 days, one day for each yule lad. Because of this, when the first shameless yule lad stops by your window he can put a surprise in your shoe.
Shoe in the window
Waking up with a surprise in your shoe is very thrilling because this meant the yule lad stopped by your window. However, he may be a shameless yule lad, but he’s got the knack of who’s been naughty or nice.
Shameless yule lad
The first shameless yule lad to arrive is the milk loving Sheep-cote clod. Back in the day he would sneak into the barns and harass the sheep. He was especially known for stealing the milk by sucking on their yews. However, this was a little difficult for him, because he had two stiff peg-legs.
Loud cries
Back in the day people used to keep the sheep indoors or underneath the baðstofa during the winter months. When the people at the farm heard the bleating (loud cries) from the sheep, they knew Stekkjastaur had arrived.
In town
For an entire day, Stekkjastaur gets to be the only yule lad in town. Actually, he stays in town the whole time and doesn’t go back home until at the of Christmas on December 25th. Stekkjastaur came to town first and he came alone. Therefore, not only is he the first to go home but also he leaves alone as well.
Poem
The first of them was Sheep-Cote Clod.
He came stiff as wood,
to prey upon the farmer’s sheep
as far as he could.
He wished to suck the ewes,
but it was no accident
he couldn’t, he had stiff knees
– not too convenient
Verse
The Sheep-Cot Clod verse
When this clumsy fellow entered the sheep-cot,
he gave the sheep no peace nor rest.
He was having such great fun
until the ram came up to check on the intruder
and went straight for the Lad,
butting Sheep-Cot Clod into the muck
