Results: Greatest Holiday Folklore! Part 1

Belsnickel. The myth of Belsnickel originated in Europe during the middle-ages. While he would separate the good children from the ones who were bad all year, he allowed the naughty ones to redeem themselves back to the good side. For the children who were good all year, he would leave toys and candies, while the naughty children received switches. Unlike Santa Claus, Belsnickel would actually announce his presence by knocking on doors and windows so the children could see him. He is described as a thin person who wears fur clothing with bells attached and wears a mask. In one hand, he carries a bag of presents for the good kids, and in the other a switch or whip for the naughty ones. While there are different versions of the legend, some of the more frightening stories claim that he would bring the naughty children into the forest and punish them for their bad behavior. He was said to also kidnap bad children from their beds, but he would offer them the opportunity to redeem themselves by doing tricks, dancing, or singing for him. Have you heard of this mythical story?

Knecht Ruprecht. The legend of Knecht Ruprecht has two different beginnings – the first one is that he was a wild child but was found and raised by Saint Nicholas; the second version is that he was a farmhand prior to becoming Saint Nicholas' assistant. Just like Belsnickel, Knecht Ruprecht would also carry around a switch. He helped out Saint Nicholas by going to each child's house and asking their parents if they were good or bad that year. If their parents said that they were bad, Knecht Ruprecht would use the switch on them as punishment. Knecht Ruprecht is described as wearing a brown or black robe with a pointed hood. He is also seen carrying a staff and a bag of ashes. Have you heard of this folklore?

Père Fouettard. The story of Père Fouettard originated in France and southern Belgium in the year 1150. He was a butcher who lived in a small French village with his very greedy wife. They lived near a boarding school where the children of the wealthy families would attend. One day, Fouettard and his wife saw three boys walking toward the school when they decided they wanted to rob them for the gold they believed was in their pockets. So the Fouettards offered the young boys sweets that were secretly poisoned, killing all three children. Père Fouettard slit the boys' throats, chopped them up into pieces, and kept their remains inside of a barrel. As legend has it, he would accompany Saint Nicholas. However, when the Jolly One found out about the awful act Père Fouettard had committed, his punishment was to spend the remainder of his life following Saint Nicholas as his sidekick. In fact, Fouettard is said to be the one who delivers coal to the naughty children. Have you heard this story before?

Sinterklaas. The Dutch have their own version of Santa Claus, and while there are numerous similarities between the two, there are also a few notable differences. Sinterklaas looks more similar to the Pope (hat and robe) rather than a fat man in a red suit. Sinterklaas season begins in the Netherlands in November, with the annual parade on the last Sunday of the month. Sinterklaas, along with his white horse and his helper Zwarte Piet, arrive by boat before joining the parade. December 6 is marked as the feast day. The evening before is when families gather for a large meal, and to exchange gifts. This is also the time that Sinterklaas and Zwarte Piet travel from rooftop to rooftop looking for children who have been good all year, and reward them with candy and presents. Children leave out carrots or oats in their wooden shoes for Sinterklaas and his horse. The next morning, children awaken to gifts and funny poems that were left by Sinterklaas as a reward for their good behavior. This folklore is a bit more upbeat than the previous 3, but have you heard of this story?