Amazing Christmas folklores (Part Deux):
Who’s Krampus, you ask? He’s the half-man, half-goat who comes around every year to chase naughty children and maybe even drag them to hell. European versions of St. Nicholas have long had scary counterparts who dole out punishment. Krampus is one such character who comes from folklore in Austria’s Alpine region, where he’s been frightening children and amusing adults for hundreds of years.
Krampus and St. Nick’s other bad boys have their origins in pagan celebrations of the winter solstice. Later, they became part of Christian traditions in which St. Nicholas visited children to reward them on December 5th or 6th. Around that time, his menacing partner would also visit kids to punish them. In Alpine Austria and some parts of Germany, this day was known as Krampusnacht, or “Krampus night,” when adults might dress up as Krampus to frighten children at their homes.
Unlike Santa Claus and the elves, Krampus is not made of flesh and blood. In fact, he probably eats flesh and blood for breakfast!
Although sometimes pictured with one hoof and one human foot, this hairy, black and brown being has goat horns, a forked tongue, vicious sharp fangs, and, naturally, cloven hooves.
It’s not unusual to see Krampus and St. Nicholas out on the town together – St. Nick bringing joy, Krampus bringing the crippling fear and pain. St. Nick rewards the good children while Krampus handles the ones who bully other children at recess. It is the perfect partnership. There is a light/dark side happening that helps to perfectly maintain balance in the galaxy, or at least the Alps.
When Krampus comes-a-knockin’ in December, it’s customary to appease him with schnapps, his booze of choice. Not sure what happens if you do not have any on hand, but I am sure you don’t want to be the one to find out. Additionally he likes other warm, spiced drinks like glühwein, (mulled wine), or hot spiced cider.
For more than a century, most Americans probably never knew who Krampus was. That changed in 2004, when art director and graphic designer Monte Beauchamp published a book of Krampus cards and helped organize an art show inspired by the cards.
Krampus has since become a sort of ironic icon in America. The 2015 release of the Hollywood comedy-horror film “Krampus” was what truly thrust the folklore figure into the mainstream consciousness. The movie’s somber yet whimsical take on the legend resonated with audiences, creating a wider appreciation for this unique holiday legend.
And now for a completely different type of fable, (and much less gloomy).
The Legend of the Christmas Spider is an Eastern European folktale which explains one possible origin of tinsel on Christmas trees. It is most prevalent in Western Ukraine, where small ornaments in the shape of a spider are traditionally a part of the Christmas decorations.
The story goes something like this –
A poor but hardworking widow once lived in a small hut with her children. One summer day, a pine cone fell on the earthen floor of the hut and took root. The widow’s children cared for it, and were excited at the prospect of having a Christmas tree by winter. The tree grew, but when Christmas Eve arrived, they could not afford to decorate it. The children sadly went to bed and fell asleep. Early the next morning, they woke up and saw the tree covered with cobwebs. When they opened the windows, the first rays of sunlight touched the webs and turned them into gold and silver. The widow and her children were overjoyed. From then on, they never lived in poverty again.
Other versions replace sunlight with a miracle from Father Christmas, Santa Claus, or the Child Jesus, and tell the story primarily from the perspective of the spiders who wished to see the Christmas tree.
The exact origins of the folk tale are unknown, but it is believed to have come from Germany or Ukraine. It may be based on an older European superstition about spiders bringing luck, or conversely that it is bad luck to destroy a spider’s web before it is safely out of the way.
Just another interesting celebration of a yuletide tradition that might seem macabre for most, but to me it perfectly radiates seasonal charm.
Did You Know? James Edgar from Brockton, Massachusetts, is credited as being the first person to come up with the concept of dressing up as Santa Claus for Christmas. He was also the first department store Santa Claus. Children began arriving by train from Boston, Providence, Worcester, and even New York. By 1891, Santa had appeared at many major department stores, and by the turn of the century the department store Santa was an institution. Although Edgar might be best remembered for dressing up as Santa, he was also known for the sharing of his good fortune, paying for children’s medical care, and he also offered jobs to youths in need.
Hope this works because I love to read every week–and comment———I will look at Spider webs very carefully from now on—-I was very interested in the origin of Santa———Giving to those REALLY in need gives so much joy all year long but for me the TRUE SPIRIT of Christmas——–Thank you