Everyone knows about the famous old jolly man who pops into your living room every Christmas Eve. That's right, Santa. There are plenty of forgotten figures in the old folklore of Christmas history. Today is my chance to tell you about some of the less known ones. Before I jump into this, let me get this straight: Santa is real. We’ve all gotten gifts from the man, and he's eaten our cookies, too! Alright, with that out of the way, let’s explore some of these stories together.
Ded Moroz
Ded Moroz, or Father Frost, is the Slavic interpretation of Santa Clause. He seems similar to the big man but is also very different. He doesn’t wear a red coat but actually a blue one. Originally he wore red, but it was later changed when he was reinstated in a positive way. He carries around a staff and has a large beard as well. He was originally known as a snow demon, but to some he was a hero and a perfect representation of Christmas for the wishful. Popular folklore originally stated him to steal children and only return them to their parents in exchange for gifts. The orthodox church later changed this in an attempt to make him have more appeal. He was banned in 1917 because he was considered to be a sort of children’s god. Funny enough, he was later reintroduced to the people by none other than Joseph Stalin in an attempt to gain more support.
2. Belsnickel
Deep in the folklore of Germany lives Belsnickel. He is a man who wears large amounts of fur, whose clothes are torn and dirty. He is also thought to wear deer antlers on his head. He usually arrives one or two weeks before Christmas and determines if the children are worthy of gifts from the Big Man. He carries candies in his pockets for the good children, and a switch in his hand for the naughty ones. When he appears, the children are asked to sing or answer questions for him, and he throws the candy to the floor. If the children rush to the treats, he will swat their hands until they can tell him why they were good this year.
3. Gryla
This Ogress from Icelandic lore is known for being similar to Krampus in some ways. Gryla has an unsatisfying hunger for children who disobey their parents. Gryla has thirteen sons who are known as the Yule Lads. The Yule Lads are less cruel than their mother; they usually play pranks on people during the holidays. The Yule Cat is a pet to Gryla, and no matter if you were naughty or nice, the Yule Cat will eat you. Some stories are darker than others; most state that she just pranks children. The darker stories say that she kills and eats the naughty children.
Whoa, that was some heavy stuff. This just tells you, guys, it's better to be nice than naughty. If you do be naughty, make sure to watch out for Gryla and Belsnickel, though! Happy Holidays everyone.
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