Published December 12, 2019

In Iceland, Christmas is a little wacky. Instead of one Santa, we have thirteen. And rather than being a jolly old white-bearded fellow who lets children sit on his on his lap in a shopping mall and showers them with presents, our Jólasveinar—or “Yule Lads,” in English—are a tribe of mischievous little weirdos.

Starting on December 12th, the Yule Lads come down from the mountains one by one, each day until Christmas. If you’ve behaved well, they’ll put a gift in your shoe; if not, you get a potato. In honour of this harrowing game of cat and mouse, we present: the Thirteen Days Of Grapemas, where every day, a Yule Lads will deliver one of you—our beloved readers—a special Icelandic gift.

So what’s a girl gotta do to get some cool stuff in her shoe? Just tag the friends or loved ones you think are most deserving on this Facebook status, along with a damn good reason that they should win. Remember: If you don’t enter in this life, you sure won’t win. #JÓLÓ!

What’s In The Shoe Today?

Alert! Alert! Who’s that eyeing up your 800 ISK cappuccino? Could it be Giljagaur—’Gully Gawk’ in English—here to steal your milk foam? Hipsters beware, for today it’s imperative to drink only black coffee, lest you wish you be messed with by this foam-frenzied maniac.

But if you’ve been good, Giljagaur has come with a gift in tow—and don’t worry, it’s not covered in froth. It’s actually a Golden Circle tour from Reykjavík Sightseeing!

The Golden Circle is impossible to ignore—few road trips allow you to see as many beautiful spots in a single day. There’s a reason why Þingvellir National Park, Geysir, and Gulfoss are so popular. They’re amazing. No matter how much time you get to spend in the Golden Circle, you can’t be disappointed.

So, dear reader, tag your most well-behaved friend here for a chance to get this special tour. If you don’t win today, check out our page tomorrow for the next gift.