5 Monsters Of Christmas - Christmas Special

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Introduction -

This chapter was supposed to be posted on Christmas as a surprise but I forgot to do its editing. Sorry about it. During Christmas time, it's only wise if we talk about the 5 Legendary Monsters of Christmas. Yes guys, just like on Christmas Eve, Saint Nicolas gives gifts to good kids, and just like that some legendary monsters give punishments to bad kids, although these are all just stories and they have no relation to reality but learning about these monsters would be rather interesting.

1. Krampus - Evil Santa

So, first comes Krampus. Many people know Krampus as Evil Santa. Its body is half goat and half demonic. Just like Santa Claus gives gifts to good kids, Krampus beats bad kids with its stick. He has two Devil Horns and is the son of Hel, who is the Queen of Helheim, the Norse realm of the dead. 

It is believed that the body of Hel is half dead and half alive. People also believe that Hel is the daughter of the Trickster God Loki and Giantess Angrboda. Anyways, Krampus assists Saint Nicolas on the 6th of December, Saint Nicholas rewards the well-behaved children with modest gifts such as oranges, dried fruit, walnuts, and chocolate, while the badly behaved ones only receive punishment from Krampus. Krampus, other than devilish powers, is also good at witchcraft.

Germany, Austria, the USA, and in many countries, the popularity of Krampus is increasing and on 5th December people celebrate 'Krampus Night'. In this event, adults wear Krampus-style costumes and scare the kids. Some of them even run after kids due to being drunk and try to scare any person on the road. This event has become so popular that many people are now following this culture and 'Krampus' style costumes are sold expensively.

Krampus is the rival of Santa Klaus and many folklores show the fight between both of them. If we talk about the origin of Krampus then he was already present in other folklore before the establishment of Christianity. He first popularised in 11th century Germany and he is also called the 'Haunt Evil God'. Krampus is thought to come from either Bavarian 'krampn' meaning 'dead or rotten', or from German 'kramp/krampen' meaning 'claw'.

2. Frau Perchta - The Christmas Witch

On the second number, we have 'Frau Perchta'. Her name means 'the bright one' or 'hidden or covered' in Old High German. Frau Perchta's story is quite popular in Germany and Austria, and it is believed that comes after 12 days from Christmas, meaning on the 6th of January. Frau Perchta is a witch and she either gives rewards to people for their deeds or punishes them for the same. It is believed that she takes out the guts of people only to fill them up with literal trash.

Frau Perchta's story comes from the Alpine Goddess of Forest, who spent most of her time in the forest and only came out during Christmas. Perchta has two forms: either she appears as beautiful and white as snow as her name to bring wealth and luck to good people or as elderly and haggard to punish people for not keeping the house clean or spun their portion of the wool.

Perchta tends to come to check three Thursdays before Christmas which are also known as Berchtl Nights or Knocking Nights.

3. Hans Trapp - The Christmas Scarecrow

On the third number, we have 'Hans Trapp'. Many people know Hans Trapp as Anti-Santa because he also punishes unworthy kids. Hans von Trotha, the inspiration behind Hans Trapp, was a German knight who is also known as the 'Black Knight'.  Though, there is no record of Hans von Trotha becoming an evil man.

According to legend, during the 1400s in Alsace, Trapp was a wealthy, greedy, selfish, and unmerciful person. It is believed that Trapp was a worshipper of the Devil and was banished from the Catholic Church. Hans von Trotha was too excommunicated by the Pope like the legend Hans Trapp but for a different reason. He spent his last days in the forest where he would kidnap small kids and eat them. He kept his appearance as a scarecrow and just like that he preyed upon small kids.

Just like this, one time when he was about to eat a kid, a bolt of lightning shocked him and he died instantly. People say that this was a punishment done by the gods for Trapp's deeds. To this day, Trapp's spirit comes back on Christmas to haunt kids who behave badly. Trapp looks like a scarecrow and he forces bad kids to behave properly. 

4. Jólakötturinn - The Christmas Cat

On the fourth number, we have 'Jólakötturinn'. Jólakötturinn is an Icelandic Yule cat and people know it as the 'Christmas Cat'. According to folklore, this cat eats those kids (and sometimes adults) during Christmas time who didn't receive new clothes before Christmas. 

According to Icelandic traditions, the kids who behave properly and complete tasks on time are given new clothes on Christmas, and lazy kids don't get new clothes. Jólakötturinn is no normal cat—she towers above the tallest houses. The Yule Cat peers in through the windows to see what kids have gotten for presents. If new clothes are among their new possessions, the big cat will move along but if there is no new cloth then that kid becomes the Christmas dinner for Jólakötturinn.

Though these are all just stories to scare kids but if we look at it normally, around entire Europe, Icelandic people are considered one of the most hard-working and on-time people. So, it can be said that due to the Yule cat story, kids in Iceland automatically become somewhat organized. 

5. The Yule Lads

On the fifth number, we have 'The Yule Lads'. Yule Lads are a group of 13 Icelandic trolls with each of them having a different name and personality traits. The Yule Lads would steal from houses and scare kids on Christmas but after the 20th century, the story got changed. Now the story is that the Yule Lads would steal from bad kids and scare them on Christmas, and the stolen goods would be given to the good kids.

Each of the Yule Lads would leave small gifts in shoes that children place on window sills for obedient kids and leave a rotten potato for disobedient kids during the 13 days leading upto Christmas. During the 1700s, the Yule Lads were a lot creepier but in 1746 parents were officially banned from tormenting their kids with monster stories.

The Yule Lads have a common mother named Grilla, who also is a Christmas Monster, and Leppalúði, their father. It is believed that Grilla has 3 husbands and from the 3 husbands, she has a total of 72 kids. The Yule Lads bring the stolen goods to Grilla and she is also their leader. Jólakötturinn, the Yule Cat, also stays with them.

Conclusion -

Like I said earlier, these are all just stories that are told to kids who have no relation to reality but these stories are still quite interesting.

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This is it, guys. I hope you enjoyed reading it. Please tell me if I was wrong somewhere in the comment section. Also a question for you guys: How did your Christmas go this year? Tell me in the comment section.

And don't forget to vote, share and follow me.

Peace out ✌️.