As with every year, Market and Media Research has conducted a poll to determine which of Iceland’s 13 Yule Lads is the most popular. Turns out, little has changed over the years.
As the data snows, Kertasníkir (shown above) is the most popular of them all, coming in at 29%. Followed close on his candle-snatching heels is Stúfur at 28%.
Coming in a distant third is the door-slamming majesty of Hurðaskellir, at 11%. All other Yule Lads failed to break the single-digit barrier.
As with any good poll, there was also a demographic breakdown. Kertasníkir was considerably more popular amongst women than men, at 39% and 18% respectively, where as nearly twice as many men as women like Hurðaskellir, at 15% to 8%. The largest difference of all regarded Bjúgnakrækir, who is very fond of sausages. 9% of men chose him as their favourite, compared to only 1% of women.
Kertasníkir was also hugely popular with Icelanders aged 18 to 29, whereas Stúfur was most popular with those 30 to 49, showing a distinct generation gap. In addition, while Bjúrgnakrækir clocked in at only 4% overall, 11% of those older than 68 chose him.
Kertasníkir has consistently topped this poll since at least 2015. Our analysts believe that this is because he is the last Yule Lad to visit Icelandic homes, while Stúfur’s contender status is likely attributable to him being the short, scrappy underdog of the Yule Lad pantheon. As per legend, Icelanders are visited by one Yule Lad each day in the run-up to Christmas.
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