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(originally published 12/23)
The trees stand draped in their holiday splendor, while the halls merrily twinkle. ‘Tis the season of feasting and merriment, festive gatherings with dear ones, and for seeking comfort and warmth in each other’s company as we fend off the long, dark nights. The countdown to Christmas has commenced—let the celebrations begin!
The sun has made its final descent, closing the door on another fleeting day. The modest warmth it provided fades with its dimming light, and as it does, the chill of night sets in, its icy fingers weaving through your clothing like specters of a long-gone summer. Yet, the encroaching cold is not the sole reason you kindle the evening fire.
The doors locked and windows shuttered, you tell yourself your actions are merely habitual precautions; a responsible homeowner’s prerogative. But that anxious niggling you felt before the sun disappeared over the horizon, telegraphing a long, cold night only grows more pronounced as the evening wears on. A storm now gathers force outside, pressing against the door as if it were a stray creature in search of refuge. You know better than to entertain the thought of letting it in.
With the hearth blazing, you close your eyes and hope to go unnoticed by the passing storm; a tempest that is anything but. The holiday season encompasses more than just the colorful lights adorning trees and homes, gifts, and merriment. It’s a time to reflect on your conduct, and consider whether you’ve acted in a manner worthy of reward or in need of improvement. If you’ve behaved, expect to be rewarded. However, if you’ve been mischievous or lazy, hope to escape with your life.
The holiday season has a darker side, and Santa Claus is but one of many mysterious winter creatures that roam the Yuletide night. As you sit huddled next to the hearth, something instinctually tells you your fears are not unfounded. This is no night for man or creature; it’s a night for beasts.
Beasts like Bloody Thomas.
Bloody Thomas, a fearsome creature from Bavarian folklore, is an ogre-like being who haunts the forests during Christmas, doling out punishments to those who’ve committed wrongdoings. Standing tall with moss-covered horns, with sickly green skin and wearing tattered, bloodstained garments, Thomas wields a massive, gore-stained hammer. While the specifics of his punishments are left to the imagination, Bloody Thomas plays a vital role in Bavarian Christmas traditions by maintaining balance, and reminding people of the consequences of immoral actions.
Many of us have encountered tales of Krampus, the fearsome half-goat, half-demon figure rooted in Alpine folklore said to accompany Saint Nicholas during the Christmas season. Depicted with cloven hooves, shaggy hair, with large twisted horns, and a long pointed tongue, Krampus embodies the foreboding shadows that fall during the Yuletide season. In stark contrast to Saint Nicholas’s benevolent role in rewarding well-behaved children with gifts, Krampus takes on the task of disciplining the naughty ones. Armed with birch branches, he administers harsh lashings and, in extreme cases, carries misbehaving children away in the ominous sack he keeps at the ready for such purposes.
Belsnickel, the fur-clad figure from southwestern German lore, also delivers both rewards and punishments during the Yuletide season. Depicted as a somber, ragged figure adorned in furs, he often carrying a whip which he uses to punish misbehaved children. Belsnickel contrasts with the more benevolent St. Nicholas by directly confronting children about their behavior, rewarding the well-mannered with sweets or small gifts, while brats might receive a sharp swat, or find that dreaded but quintessential lump of coal in their stocking as a tangible reminder to improve their behavior for the following year.
La Befana from Italian folklore is another mysterious figure. Often portrayed as an old, hunchbacked woman with a long, hooked nose wearing a shawl cover her head, this strega-like character delivers gifts to children on Epiphany Eve (the night of January 5th), filling the role of rewarder akin to Santa Claus by leaving toys and candy for good children, while giving coal, onions, or garlic for the naughty ones. La Befana is sometimes shown riding a broomstick and carrying a sack filled with gifts and coal. One popular legend associated with La Befana tells the story of the Three Wise Men asking her for directions to Bethlehem to see the newborn baby Jesus. She was too busy with her chores and declined to accompany them. Later, realizing her mistake, she went in search of the Magi and baby Jesus, but never found them. Since then, she has been searching for the Holy Child while delivering gifts to children.
From Icelandic lore we have the Yule Lads. These mischievous entities come down from the mountains on Christmas night to visit children in the 13 days leading up to Christmas. The modern iteration of the Yule Lads reflects a more benevolent tradition, where their pranks are seen as playful rather than threatening, but their darker side harks back to their origins in Icelandic folklore, where they were once depicted as the sons of Grýla.
Grýla herself was a fearsome, hungry ogress said to prowl the highlands during Christmastime in search of naughty children to snatch up and cook in her cauldron. The Yule Lads were originally part of this terrifying lore. Each Lad was named for their specific method of causing trouble, which was often tied to the anxiety of survival in such harsh winters. From “Meat-Hook”, who wielded a hook to steal meat; to “Window-Peeper”, a voyeuristic lad who gazed through windows in search of things to steal; to “Pot-Scraper”, who’d steal leftovers from pots, a particularly mean act during times when food was scarce. These mischievous spirits served as a cautionary tale to children, emphasizing the importance of good behavior. The idea was that the Yule Lads wouldn’t only cause mischief but also potentially bring harm or punishment to those who strayed from the straight and narrow.
Another macabre figure from Christmas folklore is “Frau Perchta,” a legendary entity particularly prevalent in Austria and southern Germany. According to legend, Perchta appears during the Twelve Days of Christmas, from December 25 to Epiphany on January 6. She’s of a dual nature, appearing as either a beautiful woman, or as a haggard old crone. In her more sinister form, she’s depicted with a large, goose-footed deformity which adds to her gruesome image. She’s said to reward well-behaved and hardworking individuals by leaving them small gifts or silver coins. However, for those who have been lazy or misbehaved, she would slit open their abdomen, remove their internal organs, and replace them with straw, pebbles, and other inedible materials. So be good for goodness sake!
Lastly, we turn our attention to Mari Lwyd, a captivating Welsh tradition featuring a horse’s skull adorned with colorful ribbons and jingling bells affixed atop a long pole. This eerie, yet festive figure is paraded through the streets of towns and villages in Wales, engaging in a unique form of door-to-door caroling that involves a contest of clever rhymes, and banter between the home’s inhabitants and the Mari Lwyd party. Mari Lwyd serves as a poignant symbol of the natural and supernatural intersecting, as elements of wilderness and mortality daringly step into the realm of the living, blending ancient Celtic customs with modern-day celebrations.
These eerie figures and customs serve as a reminder of the duality of the season—celebrating both the joyous and the mysterious. So, as you sip your eggnog, and listen to the crackling of the fire, remember the celebrated and feared creatures that roam the wintry landscape. By respecting the old ways and carrying their lessons into modern celebrations, we find the true spirit of the holiday season in the dance of light and darkness. May your days be merry, your heart be light, and may you find joy and kindness enough to keep any lurking beasts at bay.
There's a darker side of Christmas, and many mysterious creatures that roam the yuletide night. May you find yourself on everyone's good list.
Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!
~Dani
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