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Iceland’s Terrifying Yule Lads
- Icelanders have 13 mischievous Yule Lads who sneak into homes and steal or lick food during Christmas.
- Their mother Grýla and a Christmas Cat were used historically to scare children into good behaviour.
Relics, Seepage And Santa’s Origins
- Saint Nicholas relics in Bari 'leak' a clear liquid explained by the tomb being below sea level and seawater seepage.
- Father Christmas evolved as a practical gift-delivery partner to baby Jesus after the Reformation.
Ancient Contraceptives Were Toxic
- Ancient contraceptives included suppositories of frankincense, myrrh and blister beetle secretions.
- Consider that historical remedies were toxic and their use shows how cultural medicine mixed ritual with risk.