Krampus, Jolikaturin (the Icelandic Yule Cat), Frau Perchte, Hans Trapp, Jolapukki, and the Yule Lads are some of the most notorious Christmas monsters. Each has its own unique origin and method of punishing naughty children.
Krampus is an evil demon who punishes naughty children, often by beating them or kidnapping them. He is celebrated on December 5th, the eve of St. Nicholas Day, and is seen as a tool to encourage good behavior in children.
Jolikaturin, the Icelandic Yule Cat, is said to eat children who are lazy and do not receive new clothes for Christmas. This legend is used to encourage children to work hard and finish their tasks on time.
Frau Perchte is a witch from Germany and Austria who rewards good behavior and punishes the sinful during the 12 days of Christmas. Her gruesome punishment involves ripping out internal organs and replacing them with garbage.
Hans Trapp was a real man who, after being excommunicated from the Catholic Church for his evil deeds, preyed on children in the Alsace and Lorraine regions of France. He disguised himself as a scarecrow and was eventually struck by lightning for his sins, but still visits children to scare them into good behavior.
The Yule Lads, originally 13 Icelandic trolls who caused trouble during Christmas, were used to scare children into behaving. Over time, their tradition merged with Santa's, and they now leave gifts in children's shoes if they are good.
Gryla is the ogress mother of the Yule Lads in Icelandic legend. She kidnaps, cooks, and eats children who do not obey their parents. She became associated with Christmas in the 17th century and is considered the leader of the Yule Lads.
'Ruby's Revenge' is a story written by 11-year-old Izzy based on a nightmare she had. It tells the tale of Taylor Carter, who moves to a new home after her mother's death and encounters the ghost of Ruby, a child who was unloved and mistreated by her father, leading to a series of tragic events.
In the story 'North Pole Coal,' North Pole coal is a special, white coal given to naughty children by Santa as a punishment. It symbolizes the consequences of bad behavior, with the story ultimately revealing a darker outcome for particularly naughty children.
Ho ho ho, kids! If you like the stories Santa is telling, tell your friends and family about the Spooky Santa podcast so they can listen too! STORY AND MUSIC CREDITS/SOURCES…“Christmas Monsters”: https://tinyurl.com/stczesl)“Ruby’s Revenge” by Izzie, age 11 in Kensignton: https://tinyurl.com/sanns5y)“North Pole Coal” by Patrick Hueller: https://tinyurl.com/wkp7uu6)All music used with permission of the artists. Spooky Santa theme by Midnight Syndicate (http://amzn.to/2BYCoXZ)). All other music by Nicolas Gasparini (http://bit.ly/2LykK0g)).SANTA’S RECORDING TOOLS…* MICROPHONE (Neumann TLM103): http://amzn.to/2if01CL)* POP FILTER (AW-BM700): http://amzn.to/2zRIIyK)* XLR CABLE (Mogami Gold Studio): http://amzn.to/2yZXJeD)* MICROPHONE PRE-AMP (Icicle): http://amzn.to/2vLqLzg)* SOFTWARE (Adobe Audition): http://amzn.to/2vLqI6E)* HARDWARE (iMac Pro): https://amzn.to/2suZGkA)I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use. If I somehow overlooked doing that for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I’ll rectify it the show notes as quickly as possible.***Spooky Santa™ and Weird Darkness® are creations and trademarks of Marlar House Productions and Weird Darkness, LLC. Copyright © Weird Darkness, 2024"I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46https://weirddarkness.com/christmas-monsters/)