The gods of the Norse pantheon, led by Odin, were fearsome, warlike deities. But there’s much more to Thor, Týr, and the gang than just might and mead: they also loved poetry, pranks, and cats.

It's often claimed that many of today's Christmas traditions derive from the pre-Christian observances of pagan cults suppressed ... was influenced by the Norse god Odin. Odin was the head of ...