Read on Twitter
HAPPY YULETIDE ALL AND WELCOME TO THE WEIRD CREATURES OF CHRISTMAS ADVENT TWEETS! 
24 days of monsters and other general festive weirdos from winter traditions!
24 days of monsters and other general festive weirdos from winter traditions!
Door no.1...
Jólakötturinn! The giant Icelandic Yule Cat lives in the snowy mountains, ready to eat any people who haven’t received new clothes before Xmas Eve. Farmers used the threat of the Yule Cat to scare workers in finishing processing wool before Christmas. Not a comrade.
Jólakötturinn! The giant Icelandic Yule Cat lives in the snowy mountains, ready to eat any people who haven’t received new clothes before Xmas Eve. Farmers used the threat of the Yule Cat to scare workers in finishing processing wool before Christmas. Not a comrade.
Door no.2...
Père Fouettard aka Father Whipper! In France he accompanies St Nicholas on 6th Dec bound in chains and giving out lumps of coal and beating naughty children. He originates from a 12th century innkeeper who allegedly killed & ate children in a nearby religious school
Père Fouettard aka Father Whipper! In France he accompanies St Nicholas on 6th Dec bound in chains and giving out lumps of coal and beating naughty children. He originates from a 12th century innkeeper who allegedly killed & ate children in a nearby religious school
Door. no.3...
Julbocken! The Yule Goat is a pagan tradition connected to the worship of Thor who rode a chariot drawn by two goats, Tanngrisnir & Tanngnjóstr. The Yule Goat is made of the last sheafs of the harvest as an offering to Thor to bring gifts and good fortune
Julbocken! The Yule Goat is a pagan tradition connected to the worship of Thor who rode a chariot drawn by two goats, Tanngrisnir & Tanngnjóstr. The Yule Goat is made of the last sheafs of the harvest as an offering to Thor to bring gifts and good fortune
The town of Gävle in Sweden, the Gävle Goat or Gävlebocken made of straw & red ribbons is erected at the beginning of advent in Castle Square. Half the town protect the goat, the other half try to burn it. All fun and games. Keep an eye on the goat https://www.visitgavle.se/sv/gavlebocken
For fun, I like to say "Gävle Goat" like "gabbagool"
Door no.4...
Nuuttipukki! On 13th Jan (St. Knut's Day) in Finland, the nuuttipukki spirits (human goat monsters) go from house to house demanding food, booze and other offerings. If they didn't get it, legend said they would attack the householders and steal children.
Nuuttipukki! On 13th Jan (St. Knut's Day) in Finland, the nuuttipukki spirits (human goat monsters) go from house to house demanding food, booze and other offerings. If they didn't get it, legend said they would attack the householders and steal children.
Respect to the lads in Finland who still observe the nuuttipukki tradition because these costumes are terrifying
Door no.5...
Belsnickel! A legend from Southwestern Germanic folklore, the Belsnickel wears tatty, dirty furs and visits houses after dark in December. He carries a switch for whipping naughty children, while dealing out cakes and nuts to good children.
Belsnickel! A legend from Southwestern Germanic folklore, the Belsnickel wears tatty, dirty furs and visits houses after dark in December. He carries a switch for whipping naughty children, while dealing out cakes and nuts to good children.
Door no.6...
GRUß VOM KRAMPUS! 6th Dec is the feast of St Nicholas & the evening before is Krampusnacht, the festival of the most famous Christmas devil of all! The goat-demon dates back to pre-Christian times in Alpine regions, now pairs w St Nicholas to punish naughty children
GRUß VOM KRAMPUS! 6th Dec is the feast of St Nicholas & the evening before is Krampusnacht, the festival of the most famous Christmas devil of all! The goat-demon dates back to pre-Christian times in Alpine regions, now pairs w St Nicholas to punish naughty children
From the 17th century onwards, he has been a central figure of St Nicholas day in Bavaria and Austria, however in the 1930s was banned by the ruling fascist Vaterländische Front party as a symbol of paganism, thus it is cannon that Krampus is a comrade
Door no.7...
Straggele! In Alpine regions, Straggele demons accompany the pagan goddess Perchta on her rounds of houses during the 12 days of Christmas. If the householders had been lazy & slothful during the year, Straggele would slit their bellies open and rip them to pieces
Straggele! In Alpine regions, Straggele demons accompany the pagan goddess Perchta on her rounds of houses during the 12 days of Christmas. If the householders had been lazy & slothful during the year, Straggele would slit their bellies open and rip them to pieces
Door no.8...
Perchta! Appearing as an old or young woman, she visits homes in midwinter to judge if children & younger servants had behaved well. If they had they would find a silver coin in their shoe. If they hadn't, she would remove their stomach and stuff them straw & pebbles
Perchta! Appearing as an old or young woman, she visits homes in midwinter to judge if children & younger servants had behaved well. If they had they would find a silver coin in their shoe. If they hadn't, she would remove their stomach and stuff them straw & pebbles
Door no.9...
Hans Trapp! Wandering the forests of the Alsace-Lorraine, the scarecrow spirit accompanies St Nicholas to warn children to be good. He is based on Hans Von Troth a 15thC knight who lived a sinful life & was excommunicated; legend says he hid in forests & ate children
Hans Trapp! Wandering the forests of the Alsace-Lorraine, the scarecrow spirit accompanies St Nicholas to warn children to be good. He is based on Hans Von Troth a 15thC knight who lived a sinful life & was excommunicated; legend says he hid in forests & ate children
Door no.10...
Jólasveinar or Yule Lads! There are 13 of these half-troll lads and they take it in turns to visit children in Iceland in the run up to Christmas. If children have been good, they leave treats on the windowsill. If they have been bad, they leave rotten potatoes.
Jólasveinar or Yule Lads! There are 13 of these half-troll lads and they take it in turns to visit children in Iceland in the run up to Christmas. If children have been good, they leave treats on the windowsill. If they have been bad, they leave rotten potatoes.
Jólasveinar begin their visits on 12th Dec, starting with Stekkjastaur (Sheep-Cote Clod) who steals sheep, and finishing with Kertasníkir (Candle Beggar) who eats candles. My favourite? Bjúgnakrækir (Sausage Swiper). Hard relate.
Other honourable mentions to Þvörusleikir (Spoon Licker), Hurðaskellir (Door Slammer), Gáttaþefur (Door Sniffer) and Stúfur (Stubby) who's single personality trait is being short, like me
Door no.11...
Gryla! Giantess, witch & mother to the Jólasveinar, Gryla can smell naughty children. At Christmas time she goes from house to house in Iceland demanding parents hand over their children who have behaved badly over the year so she can gut them and cook them in a pot
Gryla! Giantess, witch & mother to the Jólasveinar, Gryla can smell naughty children. At Christmas time she goes from house to house in Iceland demanding parents hand over their children who have behaved badly over the year so she can gut them and cook them in a pot
Door no.12...
Mari Lwyd! Between Christmas Day and twelfth night, Mari Lwyd (a horse skull on a pole decorated with ribbons and baubles for eyes) is taken round villages in South Wales by groups of Wassailers who sing songs before they’re let in people’s homes for food & drink
Mari Lwyd! Between Christmas Day and twelfth night, Mari Lwyd (a horse skull on a pole decorated with ribbons and baubles for eyes) is taken round villages in South Wales by groups of Wassailers who sing songs before they’re let in people’s homes for food & drink
Sometimes the group will perform pwnco, a series of rude rhymes with the household. Mari Lwyd can also cause mischief during her visits, stealing things and chasing people. By admitting her in, it’s said to bring good luck for the new year.
