$NOM

Yolaketturinn is a giant Christmas cat-eater from Icelandic folklore. According to legend, he roams the dark Yule nights and eats those who greet the New Year without new clothes. The cat pays particular attention to socks — the simplest, yet essential part of the new outfit.

The origins of the myth trace back to the harsh reality of Iceland. In autumn and winter, the whole family had to work with wool: spinning, weaving, knitting. Those who completed their part of the work received a new item for the holidays — most often woolen socks. The lazy, however, were left with nothing. To discipline children and adults, a scary but clear story emerged: no new clothes — then Yolaketturinn will notice you.

Thus, the cat became not just a monster, but a tool of social pressure and a symbol of responsibility. Yule is the boundary of the year, a moment of taking stock: if you worked — you survived, if you didn’t work — you have only yourself to blame.

The irony of our time is that thanks to such manipulative cryptocurrencies as light, pippin, river, and anime, many will greet the New Year without new clothes — and, according to all the canons of the old legend, will be eaten.