This is what Advent Calendars are for, and all the other things that help us count down the time until the season begins. It’s a multi-cultural season these days and becoming globally generic. We have Hanukah trees now, and for many people SC has displaced or doubles for JC. There are other, multiple contenders for SC, not so much for the One whose birthday we celebrate.

In Iceland the 13 Yule Lads, who used to be wicked, not merely mischievous but thieving, greedy and not too safe to be around, are now considered to be an overage group of Santas. I am told that It is a custom in Iceland for children to put their shoes - one shoe per child- on a window sill, starting on the eve of December 12 , in anticipation of a gift of candy or some little toy —nightly until Big C Day.

There’s still lots of time. Look up the Yule Lads (Jólasveinar) while you wait. You’ll find, if you don’t already know, what each of them, in order, is known for: pot-licking, spoon-licking, door-slamming, skyr-gobbling, and other nastier habits. They’re trolls, of course.

But Yule enjoy them.