Bruce Jeffrey Pardo was a software engineer who, after a series of personal and financial failures, dressed as Santa and carried out a brutal attack on his ex-wife's family during a Christmas party in 2008. He killed 9 people and injured 3 others before committing suicide.
The Icelandic Yule Lads were originally malevolent creatures that would visit children during the 13 days leading up to Christmas, often stealing food and resources. Their stories were so terrifying that the Icelandic government banned parents from telling them to children in 1746.
The legend of Santa Claus evolved through various literary and artistic depictions, starting with Washington Irving's description in 1809 and culminating in Thomas Nast's iconic illustrations in the late 1800s. Coca-Cola further popularized the modern image of Santa in the 1930s.
Krampus was a demon who accompanied St. Nicholas on December 6th, punishing bad children while St. Nicholas rewarded good children with gifts. Krampus doled out punishments such as beatings or being taken away in a sack.
According to legend, a butcher lured children into his home to murder them and sell their meat during a famine. St. Nicholas, alerted by an angel, arrived just in time to restore life to three boys who were about to be eaten.
As Santa Claus became more popular worldwide, the Yule Lads' stories were toned down to be less frightening. Today, they are seen as mischievous but mostly harmless figures who leave toys and candy for good children and potatoes for bad ones.
Iceland's harsh environment likely inspired the creation of these terrifying stories to instill bravery and resilience in children, preparing them for the difficult conditions they would face growing up.
Darkness Syndicate members get the ad-free version. https://weirddarkness.com/syndicate)Info on the next LIVE SCREAM event. https://weirddarkness.com/LiveScream)Info on the next WEIRDO WATCH PARTY event. https://weirddarkness.com/TV)IN THIS EPISODE: (Christmas archives episode from December 13, 2020): We’ll look at some of the history of Santa and his cohorts – and how they have all not been as jolly as we know them now. (And You Thought You Knew About Santa) *** And I’ll tell you an Icelandic Christmas story that is so creepy that the government was forced to censor it. (The Icelandic Yule Brothers) *** But first, Christmas parties are a time for joy, laughs, and family. A time to be shared with the ones you love. But sometimes, the ones who love us, have a different, more sinister plan. That was the case of Bruce Jeffrey Pardo, the Killer Santa. We begin with that story. (Bruce Jeffrey Pardo: The Killer Santa) *** (Originally aired December 13, 2020)SOURCES AND ESSENTIAL WEB LINKS…“And You Thought You Knew About Santa” by Troy Taylor: https://tinyurl.com/y63nbyqz)“Bruce Jeffrey Pardo: The Killer Santa” from The Scare Chamber: https://tinyurl.com/yxd8rvre)“The Icelandic Yule Brothers” by Eris Wisti for Ranker’s Weird History: https://tinyurl.com/y37coytc)Visit our Sponsors & Friends: https://weirddarkness.com/sponsors)Join the Weird Darkness Syndicate: https://weirddarkness.com/syndicate)Advertise in the Weird Darkness podcast or syndicated radio show: https://weirddarkness.com/advertise)= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =Weird Darkness theme by Alibi Music Library. Background music provided by Alibi Music Library, EpidemicSound and/or StoryBlocks with paid license. Music from Shadows Symphony (https://tinyurl.com/yyrv987t)), Midnight Syndicate (http://amzn.to/2BYCoXZ)) Kevin MacLeod (https://tinyurl.com/y2v7fgbu)), Tony Longworth (https://tinyurl.com/y2nhnbt7)), and Nicolas Gasparini (https://tinyurl.com/lnqpfs8)) is used with permission of the artists.= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =OTHER PODCASTS I HOST…Paranormality Magazine: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/paranormalitymag)Micro Terrors: Scary Stories for Kids: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/microterrors)Retro Radio – Old Time Radio In The Dark: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/retroradio)Church of the Undead: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/churchoftheundead)= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =(Over time links seen above may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.)= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = ="I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2024, Weird Darkness.= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =https://weirddarkness.com/christmas-tale-so-scary-the-country-censored-it/)