Happy Holidays! To celebrate the season we’re reviewing The Christmas Quest (2024), a brand-new Hallmark movie starring Lacey Chabert as an archaeologist searching for the lost treasure of Iceland’s Yule Lads. Josh regales us with stories of his Icelandic/Canadian heritage, from prune cake to giant classist cats to the witch living in his grandmother’s attic.

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In this episode:

Gryla and the Yule Lads: https://guidetoiceland.is/history-culture/the-icelandic-yule-lads-and-gryla

Icelandic patronymic surnames: https://www.routesnorth.com/language-and-culture/icelandic-last-names-a-simple-guide/

Icelandic Runic Alphabets: https://guidetoiceland.is/history-culture/a-guide-to-icelandic-runes

The Galdrabók (Icelandic Book of Magic): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galdrab%C3%B3k

Necropants: https://guidetoiceland.is/connect-with-locals/aldasigmunds/the-necro-pants-revisited

The Rosetta Stone: https://www.britishmuseum.org/blog/everything-you-ever-wanted-know-about-rosetta-stone

Geographic coordinate system: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geographic_coordinate_system

Jólabókaflóðið: https://jolabokaflod.org/about/founding-story/

One in ten Icelanders will publish a book in their lifetime: https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/444296-most-published-writers-per-capita

Snowmance (2017) trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WeODKICqxA

Hot Frosty (2024) trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dmi794YO-0w

Kilchurn Castle, Scotland: https://www.historicenvironment.scot/visit-a-place/places/kilchurn-castle/

Kæstur hákarl (fermented shark): https://yourfriendinreykjavik.com/fermented-shark-iceland/

Harðfiskur (hard fish): https://grapevine.is/food-main/2016/06/30/food-of-the-week-hardfiskur/

Vinarterta: https://macleans.ca/society/life/dont-ask-icelanders-how-to-make-their-traditional-christmas-cake/

Pönnukökur: https://www.cietours.com/en-ca/blog/recipe-icelandic-pancakes

Dimmuborgir: https://guidetoiceland.is/travel-iceland/drive/dimmuborgir

UK Escalator PSA: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zirp59zm1qE