Discussing with Shelly the things I actually like about Christmas, she made the connection that they were the things clearly of pagan origin.
That made me remember this origin story, that Santa is Odin, the absolute best part being the parallel between Rudolph’s red nose and Slepnir the horse’s “habit of feasting on the entrails of Odin’s enemies,” causing his snout to be bloody and red.
It’s a little different than gettin’ hygge by the fireplace and the Christmas tree in fractal-design sweaters, but with the Nordics you get a pretty wide spectrum, and that’s what I love about it.
