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  • (#7) Perchten

    The Perchten is a dual-gendered spirit who comes out during the 12 days of Christmas (that is, December 25-January 5). On one hand we have the female Schonperchten ("Beautiful Perchten") and on the other we have the male and aptly named Schiachperchten ("Ugly Perchten"). The former is a giver of luck and gifts, while the other is an ugly beast who looks much like the Krampus and similarly related to the Devil, whom is the most ugly of the Schiachperchten. As can be expected, Schoneperchten gives treats to the good people of the world, while the Schiachperchten punishes the bad.

    What I believe is most terrifying about this character of Christmas mythology is that if it passes you, you can never be too sure which side you'll be met with. On one hand you gave to the poor, on the other hand, you could have given more.

  • Werewolves on Random Terrifying Traditional Christmas Legends

    (#8) Werewolves

    Yes, werewolves. Although we typically try to limit the lycanthropes to Halloween, B-movies, and steamy fiction, Werewolves have been a part of the Yuletide horror fest since the Middle Ages.

    In modernity, it has since been reduced, reused, and recycled to the claim that simply having the audacity to be born on Christmas Day is cause enough to make a person a werewolf, as well. The 1961 film The Curse of the Werewolf explains that being born on December 25 is mocking Jesus Christ, and so you must be punished. Yeah, that Jesus: bringing the Christmas cheer by punishing not just a baby for being born, but he's also damning any who fall into his or her wake every year.

  • Le Père Fouettard on Random Terrifying Traditional Christmas Legends

    (#10) Le Père Fouettard

    Pere Fouettard is seen to this day during Christmas in Belgium and France. His name means "Whipping Father," so you can already guess how he brings holiday cheer. 

    But that's not the scary part of this story, that's the happy part.

    As the story goes, Le Pere Fouettard began his life as an innkeeper, kidnapper, and murderer, in that order. One day while keeping his inn, three rich boys on their way to a religious boarding school stay at his inn. Recognizing their wealth, Le Pere, along with his wife, decides to capture and murder the children (by slitting their throats) to take their money. Because that somehow seemed like a better idea than ransoming them to their wealthier parents. While trying to make corpse stew, Saint Nick shows up and resurrects the boys. Seeing his power, the innkeeper repents and becomes St. Nick's partner by becoming the official whipping boy of bad boys and girls.

  • (#1) Belsnickel

    Hailing from Germany, Belsnickel is a creepy looking figure. Covered in patch-worked rags to keep his identity secret, he also wears furs and threatens children by carrying a switch. In the weeks leading up to Christmas, Belsnickel stops by the doors of households with children and threatens the misbehaving kids that if they don't straighten up, they'll not only not get presents, but a good beating from Belsnickel himself.

  • Zwarte Piet on Random Terrifying Traditional Christmas Legends

    (#4) Zwarte Piet

    Black Peter (known to natives of the Netherlands as Zwarte Piet) may appear rather tame in theory: he does, after all, give sweets and presents to good little boys and girls and is a companion of Sinterklaas (that is, Saint Nicoholas). The insidiousness of Black Pete comes in the fact that he is a racial stereotype by the lily white natives of the Netherlands and Belgium. Although modern attempts to be politically correct have claimed that the reason for the naming of "black" in Peter's name comes from his occupation as a chimney sweep, the physical appearance says otherwise. Black-face make up, exaggerated red lips, and thick, Brillo-y hair.

    It should also be noted that Pete accompanies Sinterklaas on his journey from Spain, meaning he is likely a moor (like that Othello guy from Shakespeare), as suggested by Jan Schenkaman in Saint Nicholas and His Servant.

    In attempts to downplay the racist background of the character to foreign tourists, the Dutch have tried having the person playing Zwarte Pieten instead paint himself in a variety of colors. This didn't set well with those rooted in the tradition, and he has since returned to his black face roots. In recent years, the backlash returned from figures from other cultures, which has forced the local governments to downplay and rethink Zwarte Piet's role in the winter celebrations.

  • (#6) Knecht Ruprecht

    As you know, making sure all the children of the world get what's coming to them at the end of the year is quite an enterprise, which is no doubt why Santa has everyone from elves making toys for the good kids to demons kidnapping the mean-spirited ones helping him out. But what about those kids who were neither particularly good nor particularly bad? For them, the Germans give us Knech Ruprecht, also known as Farmhand Rupert. He more or less looks like a shepherd taken out of your neighborhood nativity who sports a long beard, brown cloak and a staff.

    Basically his schtick is that he goes around asking kids if they can pray. If they can, they get some awesome gingerbread. If they can't, he gives them some useless junk, and if they refuse, he beats them with a bag of ashes. So children better remember the "reason for the season" is the baby Jesus and not just the changes in the seasons, or else they'll either receive some unfortunate presents or get beaten with some ashes.

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About This Tool

Christmas is approaching, and the saddest thing for children is not receiving gifts on Christmas Eve. In fact, more terrifying traditional Christmas legends are spread in some regions of the world. Christmas is not just the bells of the reindeer sleigh and the Santa Claus, but also dark and creepy characters, who are not from the North Pole. Most of these horror characters come from Christian traditions and legends.

The random tool lists 10 terrifying traditional Christmas legends, although you may think these characters are more suitable for Halloween. Have you heard of Krampus, who is the most famous horror Christmas character?

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