Offbeat

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Christmas time is upon us, and though children loathe getting new clothes for gifts, they best put on that new itchy sweater or slide on those unwanted socks. Or else risk being eaten alive by a giant cat, at least according to Icelandic folklore.

That's right. A child's worst nightmare — new clothes under the tree — could only be outdone by a somehow worse nightmare, being devoured by a ferocious feline that hunts down children caught not wearing their new clothes.

The tale of Jólakötturinn, which translates to Yule Cat, is an Icelandic Christmas classic dating back to at least 1932, according to the Icelandic Folklore website, a research project managed by the University of Iceland.

Jóhannes úr Kötlum, an Icelandic poet, wrote about the Yule Cat in his book, Jólin koma (Christmas is Coming), published in 1932.

Kötlum's poem tells the tale of a cat that's "very large" with glowing eyes. It roams the countryside, going from house to house looking for children who aren't wearing the new clothes they got for Christmas, according to the poem.

Memes of the Yule Cat have been making their way around social media, some are meant to be spooky, while others are a blend of fascination and satire.

"I am really fascinated by other culture's holiday traditions so shoutout to my boy the Yule Cat," one meme reads. "A monstrous cat who roams Iceland eating people who aren't wearing the clothes they got for Christmas."

The Yule Cat isn't the only sinister character that comes around Christmas.

Another European folklore character is Krampus, an anti-Santa demon that kidnaps and punishes naughty kids, according to mythology.net. Munich, Germany, hosts an annual Krampus run, which attracts hundreds of participants — and more spectators — every year.

Source: https://www.npr.org/2023/12/23/1221454825/youve-heard-of-santa-maybe-even-krampus-but-what-about-the-child-eating-yule-cat

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While Leadville 100 luminary Ken Chlouber has famously motivated runners for 40 years by saying “You’re better than you think you are, you can do more than you think you can,” Romero says the motto of the Taco Bell 50K is that “you’re hungrier than you think you are, and you can eat more than you think you can.”

PARKER, Colo. — Two men convicted of felony theft for stealing more than $2,000 worth of merchandise from a Parker Kohl’s store argued in court for a lesser charge because the items were on sale and they had coupons, according to the 18th Judicial District.

Michael Green, 50, and Byron Bolden, 37, were formally sentenced this month after being convicted of retail theft at the Kohl’s store this year, according to a Tuesday news release from the judicial district.

The two men were dubbed “KitchenAid Mixer Crew” because of the high-end KitchenAid appliances — in addition to brand name shoes and clothing — that were stolen in the case.

At trial, defense attorneys suggested to a jury that their clients should only face a lesser misdemeanor charge because some of the items they stole were being offered “on sale.”

In Colorado, theft under $2,000 is a misdemeanor offense. But the documented value of the items stolen was $2,094.98, making it a felony.

The two men were asking the jury to take into account Kohl’s coupons and discounts which would bring the theft case down to a misdemeanor. However, prosecutors argued that sales and discounts are for paying customers.

“Just because an item is ‘on sale’ doesn’t mean it’s free to steal, and these defendants now get to think about this lesson in jail and prison,” District Attorney John Kellner said in the news release. “Retailers in our community are fed up with theft and my office will actively prosecute these offenders.”

Green was sentenced to 15 months in prison. Bolden was sentenced to 90 days in jail with credit for time served as a condition of 18 months of probation.

I love news about odd lobster stuff!

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