In Iceland, children leave shoes in their windows for the Yule Lads.
During the 13 nights before Christmas, Iceland’s 13 Yule Lads traditionally arrive one by one, beginning on the night of December 12. Children place a shoe on a windowsill, hoping the visiting figure will leave a small gift. A child who has misbehaved may find a potato instead, turning the custom into both a reward and a warning.
The Yule Lads are the sons of Grýla and Leppalúði in Icelandic folklore. Each has a name describing a particular nuisance, such as stealing sausages, slamming doors or licking spoons. Their personalities and number varied in older regional traditions, but modern Iceland generally recognises the familiar group of 13.
These figures were not always friendly. Earlier stories portrayed them as frightening pranksters or even child-stealing monsters, while modern celebrations have softened them into mischievous gift-bringers. The shoes are therefore not stockings in the Anglo-American Santa tradition. They are specifically ordinary footwear placed on windowsills, and the rotten-potato detail is one of the custom’s best-known features.