Icelandic Yule Lad - Candle Beggar
Kertasníkir, the last of the 13 Yule Lads · hand-painted figure designed by Brian Pilkington · about 9.4 cm (3.7 in)
He is the brother who comes on Christmas Eve, so he is the one to set out last, or to give to someone born on 24 December. Our reviewers have bought him as a Christmas present for a son-in-law who met the Yule Lads on a trip to Iceland, and as one of three figures that took a collector's row to five.
Candle Beggar, in short
Any four Yule Lads ship free to the US, Canada and Europe (orders over $149)
- Free shipping over $149 — US, Canada & Europe
- US & Canada — duties & taxes settled at checkout
- Ships worldwide from Iceland with tracking
- Designed by Brian Pilkington
- The Yule Lad of Christmas Eve
- Window box with an English booklet
Kertasníkir, Candle Beggar, is the thirteenth and last of the Icelandic Yule Lads. He comes down from the mountains on Christmas Eve, 24 December, looking for candles, which in the old farmhouses were the brightest light there was, and rare and precious.
Brian Pilkington's figure has him sitting on a small barrel, laughing, with a burnt-down candle in a brass candlestick in one hand and a bunch of candles in the other. He is painted by hand, stands about 9.4 cm (3.7 in) tall and has his Icelandic name on the red base. He comes in a window box with a small English booklet about the whole family.
You can also buy the set of all 16 figures.
Product facts
- Character
- Kertasníkir (Candle Beggar), the thirteenth and last Yule Lad, who comes on Christmas Eve, 24 December
- Height
- about 9.4 cm (3.7 in)
- Base
- round and red-rimmed, with KERTASNÍKIR in gold letters
- Design
- Brian Pilkington
- Brand
- Sólarfilma
- Finish
- painted by hand
- In the box
- the figure in a clear window box, with a small booklet in English about the 13 Yule Lads, Grýla, Leppalúði and the Yule Cat
- Good to know
- a display figure, not a toy. The raised hand and the candles are thin, so pack him away with care after Christmas
- EAN
- 5690666388137
Shipping, duties & returns
Shipping — DHL Express worldwide, fully tracked. Rates & times
US & Canada duties — collected at checkout; nothing to pay on delivery. How it works
Returns — unused items in original condition within 30 days; see our returns policy.
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Why you'll love it
- His looks were worked out from the poemBrian Pilkington based his Yule Lads on Jóhannes úr Kötlum's poem. It says little about how the brothers look, he explained, so he drew each one from what he does. Then he made the figures.
- A candle was once the whole presentThe National Museum of Iceland traces Christmas gifts in Iceland to the early 1800s, when children were given a candle of their own. The candles were moulded from sheep fat before the holiday and burned far brighter than the everyday fish-oil lamp.
- Named by a poem from 1932Dozens of Yule Lad names once went round Iceland. The thirteen used today, Kertasníkir last among them, come from the poem Jóhannes úr Kötlum published in the book Jólin koma in 1932.
- The box tells the storyA small English booklet inside describes the thirteen Yule Lads, their troll parents and the Yule Cat, so whoever opens it knows who he is.
- Sold by the National Museum tooThe National Museum of Iceland sells this same Brian Pilkington series in its shop in Reykjavík, and calls his Yule Lads the ones everybody knows.
- No bill at the door in the US or CanadaDuties and taxes for both countries are settled at checkout, so the total you pay us is the whole price.
Popular together
Made to be used together. One click adds both to your cart.
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The twelve who come before him
Candle Beggar is the last to arrive. The set of 16 has all thirteen brothers with Grýla, Leppalúði and the Yule Cat. It costs less than buying them one by one and ships free to the US, Canada and Europe.
Icelandic Yule Lad - Candle Beggar Yule Lads Figures - Set of all 16
$571.90 for both
Questions people ask before they buy
Why is he called Candle Beggar?
Did he eat the candles?
When does he come down from the mountains?
Will he arrive in one piece?
What does it cost to send one figure?
His twelve brothers and the rest of the family
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