{{ Hi Mama Bree! I'm hopping in your inbox to inquire about the xmas spookies. I know well of the horse skull and goat monster, but what was that about witches and black cats? Hope you're enjoying (or at least enduring) in whatever holidays you celebrate!
One sec.... -claps a festive twinkly wreath onto the Witchstorian hat- OKAY THEN. Buckle up, here we go.
So there are a few Winter Holiday Witches we could look to for this, or at least holiday figures who are Witchy or Witch-Adjacent. (The formalized folklore traditions may not always refer to them as witches, except perhaps in the Generic Word For A Terrifying Hag sense.)
Let's start with the nice one - Italy's La Befana.
This is a story you can whip out for your Christian relatives, if they seem receptive to a good holiday tale. It's definitely Church folklore, but it has a number of parallels to both modern witch aesthetic and Mystical Holiday Gift-Giver lore, and may have its' roots in older rural traditions.
The tale goes something like this:
Once upon a time, a woman was standing outside in her yard sweeping. As she worked to tidy her home, she couldn't help but notice an oddly bright star hanging in the sky. It had been visible for several days, even when the sun was up, and the scholars and soothsayers of the town were falling over themselves to explain it, either as a sign of imminent blessing or a portent of some cosmic doom.
A clinking of harness buckles pulled her attention away from the celestial display. On the road that passed by her home were three richly-dressed men, riding in a small caravan. Now, travelers were a normal sight, but rarely were they so finely clad, and never had she seen a caravan carrying such rich wares. There was a some jingle that spoke of gold and her keen nose picked up the scent of exotic incenses. Curiosity getting the better of her, the woman waved to the caravan leader, who pulled his horse to a stop and tugged the dustcloth from his face.
"Good day to you, fine sirs," she said, bobbing a polite curtsey. "Might a humble woman ask where you are bound in so fine fashion? Are you on your way to see the King?"
"Indeed we are, good madam," the man replied, his voice touched with the accent of a far-off land. "It is said that a holy child, the King of all Kings, has been born. The bright star you see in the sky is a sign of his coming and it hangs over the place where the infant lays. We are following the star to see this for ourselves, bearing gifts and offerings suitable for such a momentous birth."
The woman clapped a hand to her breast. "A holy infant! Good heavens! Let me come with you! Where there is a new babe, there will be a new mother and they'll both need tending. Just let me finish my sweeping and I'll join you."
The man shook his head. "Alas, good woman, we cannot tarry to wait for you. We must travel on. But if you hurry after us, you are welcome to come along. Good day and blessings to you!" So saying, he spurred his horse and the caravan moved on.
The woman had never swept so quickly in all her life. She kicked up clouds of dust and debris, almost undoing her careful work in her haste to finish. The courtyard was large, but she was determined. By evening, she had finished her work and packed a bag with necessaries and a few small gifts of her own for the holy child and his mother. The brilliant start shone overhead as she took up her trusty broom as a walking stick and set off down the road in the direction she'd seen the caravan go.
But alas! They'd traveled too far ahead and all she could find were the tracks of horses and the ruts of wagon wheels, both swiftly lost among the traces of other travelers. Still, her heart went out to the poor child and its' mother and she carried on, following the star ever onward.
As she passed through distant villages and foreign lands, she began to wonder if perhaps she was nearing her destination, and began surreptitiously peeping into the windows of various houses to see if any contained the holy infant. But what did a holy infant look like? Would it be haloed in gold? Alight with radiance like the heralding star? How would she know? She was no scholar or soothsayer. Just a simple woman with love and compassion in her heart.
If the stories are to be believed, eventually the wind took pity on the woman's tired aching feet and lifted her broom so that she might ride along more easily in her search. She never did find the caravan or the Christchild, but she searches the towns and villages to this day, peeping in windows to see if any of the children within might be the holy infant portended by the star. And out of the goodness of her heart, she takes care to leave a little gift for each child she finds, just in case.
La Befana is said to visit in early January, around the time of Epiphany. (For the non-Christians in the audience, this is the liturgical date when the Three Magi are said to have finally turned up in Bethlehem, fashionably late to the party.) She travels about on a broom with a woven basket or hamper on her back, entering each home through the chimney and leaving sweets and toys for all the children. If that sounds at all familiar, it was eventually rolled into the Santa Claus folklore, which was cemented by the poem "A Visit From St Nicholas" (aka Twas The Night Before Christmas), first published in 1823.
So that's the NICE Christmas witch. But she's got a cousin who's a lot less pleasant...and a lot more violent. And to the surprise of absolutely no one, she's from Germany.
Frau Perchta (or Berchta, in some regions) is a Purveyor of Holiday Punishments figure from Alpine folklore, appearing in tales from northern Germany, Bavaria, Austria, and Slovenia. She bears a resemblance to Frau Holda (or Holle), who appears in the folklore of southern Germany and is generally more of a friendly winter spirit. Both preside over the realm of fibrecraft and spinning. Call it a common thread, if you will. But where Frau Holda rewards those who are diligent in their craft and finish their work, Frau Perchta stalks the land to punish the lazy, the careless, and those who do not follow the rules.
Legend has it that in the depths of winter, particularly between Christmas and Epiphany, Perchta would prowl the countryside, entering the homes she found and checking to see whether the children and servants had been well-behaved and diligent in their chores and whether the young women had done all their spinning. Those who passed her inspection might find a small coin as a reward the next day, usually left in one of their shoes. But those who did not pass muster were said to suffer a gruesome fate.
You see, Perchta is an experienced spinner herself, as evidenced by her telltale "swanfoot" (a term which refers to the alleged broadening of an old woman's foot after a lifetime of treading the pedal of a spinning wheel) and the various spinners' tools tied to her girdle, including a gigantic pair of shears. It's said that she uses the shears to slit open the bellies of her lazy or poorly-behaved victims, dumps their insides into a bucket, and stuffs the cavity with straw and pebbles and whatever garbage might be strewn about the streets. (One or two versions hold that she may also stuff in the portion of flax or wool which remains unspun.) This fate might also await those who waited until the last minute on holidays to finish their spinning, or who ate something other than the prescribed fish and gruel on her feast day.
In other words, typical German folklore for scaring the kiddies into behaving. "Do what you're told and obey all the rules or you'll get straight-up murdered. Stop laughing, that's not a joke. Okay, goodnight, sleep tight! ....Or else."
To wrap things up, we'll pop over to Iceland for another terrifying holiday figure, the Yule Cat.
This fearsome beastie prowls the land during the Christmas season and is less meant to frighten child than to remind parents and families of their duty of care. According to a collection of folklore published in the 19th century, the Yule Cat visits towns and farms and eats anyone who hasn't received new clothes for Christmas. (Suddenly, getting socks and underwear for Christmas doesn't sound so bad.) There's no PARTICULAR color cited for the Yule Cat but plenty of popular art depicts it as black or dark gray, through white or tabby-striped are equally popular.
So yeah! If anyone asks, witches and black cats are just as much a part of winter holiday folklore as scary goatmen, battle-rapping skeletal horses, and home-invading gift-givers.
Happy Holidays to one and all, and remember - if you see a cheery little surveillance state elf lurking on your property, nuke it from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.
G. CW. I know zilch about actual dnd please don't stab me.
The Hellfire Club was restless, bags packed for the holiday break, but Eddie was determined to squeeze in one last bit of lore before dismissing them. His monologue was interrupted, however, by Dustin, Mike, and Lucas proudly displaying their early Christmas presents.
Gareth had lent over to whisper to Dustin who beamed in response. “Steve made it,” Dustin announced, holding up a meticulously crafted wooden organizer for his radio components.
“He made this, too,” Mike said, though with less enthusiasm, showing off a new, sturdy cover for his campaign notebook.
Lucas just quietly flexed his wrist, showing the improved leather strap on his wrist-rocket, clearly a professional-grade modification.
Eddie’s patience, already frayed, snapped. He leaned back in his throne, a sneer twisting his lips. “What is Harrington, Santa Claus now? Did he just throw money at the problem, or does he have a little workshop of elf-slaves in that big empty house of his?”
Gareth, seeing Dustin’s face darken, tried to cut him off. “Eddie, man, don’t—”
“No, it’s more like he’s the elf,” Mike interrupted, scowling. “Because he’s the one who actually makes all the crap. He’s weirdly good with his hands.”
“Isn’t he more like La Befana?” Lucas added, ever the pragmatist. “The witch who brings gifts in January? He only ever has money after the Christmas rush at the video store. He said he’s working not stop over the holiday, so he gave us our stuff early this time. Last year Dustin got black liquorice, Don't ask. This year he's obviously been better behaved,” he says as Dustin sticks his tongue out at him, "or he's Steve's favourite."
Mike snorted, a bratty, knowing sound. “He’s never beating the mom allegations.”
The finality of the statement hung in the dingy room. Eddie’s planned monologue about the Shadowfell died on his tongue. His mind, treacherous and sharp, flashed not to a fantasy realm, but to the passenger seat of his van this morning. A splash of vibrant red against the worn grey upholstery. Not a bag, not a jacket. A single, perfectly knitted, wine-red scarf, left behind like a deliberate invitation.
“Right,” Eddie said, his voice suddenly hollow. He cleared his throat, forcing the theatrical baritone back into place. “Now, where was I? Ah, yes. The fortress of the Lich Lord stands before you, its spires clawing at a sky of perpetual twilight…”
But his heart wasn’t in it. All he could see was that flash of red, and the devastating, mom-allegation-proof image of Steve Harrington, up late, crafting the kids toys by lamplight.
the Winter Ones: Folkloric Figures of Winter, Yule, & Christmas
by Keziah Zibelmann
The winter holidays are ebbing ever closer. With each passing year, more and more practitioners of witchcraft and/or followers of pagan paths have looked to taking up the customs of their ancestors or incorporating those customs into their practices in some way. Holidays have become a popular way of embracing such traditions, traditions that can make diasporic practitioners feel a little closer to home, traditions that can bring one nearer their ancestors, traditions that can aid in making one’s practice and customs truly unique to them.
Winter has many customs and traditions, and those practices differ from region to region. One of my favorite aspects of winter is the amount of figures associated with the season — folk figures unique to the regions from which they hail. For many people, if you ask them about figures they associate with winter, you’ll hear Father Christmas, Krampus, and maybe even a nod or two to Hans Trapp, but there are so many more winter figures out there! In this post, we’ll meet a variety of these folk spirits, and we’ll learn a bit about their tales. It’s my hope that readers of this piece may find a new way of incorporating the beliefs or customs of their ancestors or of their homelands (for our readers who are members of diasporic populations), and that, in doing so, their winter holidays may be brighter for it. Now, shall we dive in? Who to meet first…
GRÝLA, JÓLASVEINAR, & JÓLAKÖTTURINN
Grýla, the Yule Lads, and the Yule Cat
(Icelandic Folklore)
A prominent feature in Icelandic Christmas and Yule folklore is the tale of a mountain-dwelling family that descends upon Icelandic communities during the Yule season, or during the 13 days leading up to Christmas. This family consists of —
Grýla: a large, frightening giantess, ogress, or half-troll/half-ogre (depending on what version of the tale you hear) who feasts upon naughty children;
Jólasveinar / the Yule Lads: Grýla’s thirteen thieving, tricksy sons;
and Jólakötturinn / the Yule Cat: Grýla’s pet cat, a massive, vicious, people-eating creature.
According to lore, throughout most of the year Grýla and her family keep to themselves in some isolated mountainous area. If not in the mountains, it’s often said that they live in Dimmuborgir (lava formations in north Iceland). During the Yule or Christmas season, though, Grýla and her brood leave their domain to bring a bit of terror to the inhabitants of Iceland.
Some tales say that for thirteen nights, Grýla’s sons, the Yule Lads, will leave gifts for (and party with, play games with, and perform for) well-behaved children, and leave tricks or warnings for naughty children, but this version only came about after a shift in the tone of the tale. Most sources state that the Yule Lads were once purely horrible, wreaking havoc for the thirteen nights leading up to Christmas. Why the change? Well, apparently the original lore was so terrifying that the parliament of Iceland officially outlawed its use as a scare tactic against children. Thus, the brighter lore of playfully mischievous Yule Lads was born, differing greatly from the more frightening and disturbing behavior exhibited in earlier tales.
As the stories go, one-by-one, the Yule Lads go into inhabited areas of Iceland and sow a little terror and chaos, each carrying out his own special form of mischief. They could only do their deeds at night, and were quite terrifying to behold — large, dirty, and often frighteningly grotesque (though now most depictions of the Yule Lads feature cheerful, bearded men with woolen clothes and pointed hats). The Yule Lads arrive, one per night, starting thirteen days before Christmas, and each continues their mischief spree for thirteen nights, only then departing (again, one per night).
The Yule Lads are:
Stekkjastaur ‘Sheep-Cote Clod’ – from the 12th - 25th of December, Stekkjastaur sneaks into pens and stables to harass sheep, attempting to suckle them all, though this is made difficult by his long, stiff, wooden legs, which don’t allow him to bend his knees and kneel on the ground.
Giljagaur ‘Gully-Gawk’ – from the 13th - 26th of December, Giljagaur hides in the gullies near homes until all the household has fallen asleep. Then, he makes his way to the cowsheds to steal milk.
Stúfur ‘Stubby’ – Stúfur will, from the 14th - 27th of December, sneak into homes and nab anything leftover in the pans. Some versions say he steals the pan itself, for he likes to eat the ‘crust’ left behind on them from cooking.
Þvörusleikir ‘Spoon-Licker’ – from the 15th - 28th of December, Þvörusleikir sets about his diabolical task of breaking into homes and licking all the spoons (in particular, the wooden spoons).
Pottaskefill ‘Pot-Scraper’ – from 16th - 29th of December, Pottaskefill breaks into homes to steal unwashed pots so he can lick up all that’s left, be that the remnants of sauces, broths, and gravies, or leftover bits of food. He’s also said to eat any unfinished foods from plates.
Askasleikir ‘Bowl-Licker’ – from 17th - 30th of December, Askasleikir hides beneath beds, lying in wait for anyone to set their askur down. An askur is an Icelandic wooden bowl with a lid, which, according to these Yule tales, would sometimes be carried off to bed whilst one was enjoying a late-night snack. The bowl would then be placed on the floor beside the bed or just under the bed, where Askasleikir would be waiting to scarf down whatever is left in the askur.
Hurðaskellir ‘Door-Slammer’ – from 18th - 31st of December, Hurðaskellir starts his rounds, going through homes and slamming all the doors. He finds it even more fun to do whilst everyone is sleeping.
Skyrgámur ‘Skyr-Gobbler’ – from 19th of December - 01st of January, Skygámur commits the heinous act of robbing any and every pantry or refrigerator he can find of skyr, a traditional Icelandic dairy food similar to yoghurt.
Bjúgnakrækir ‘Sausage-Swiper’ – as if Skyrgámur’s antics weren’t enough, Bjúgnakrækir is a pesky sausage thief. He sits in the rafters of homes, waiting for everyone to go to bed or to look away. Then, he steals as many sausages as he can manage. Bjúgnakrækir makes his arrival on the 20th of December and leaves on the 02nd of January.
Gluggagægir ‘Window-Peeper’ – perhaps the creepiest of the lot thus far (though someone licking all the spoons is the stuff of nightmares), Gluggagægir makes his rounds from the 21st of December - 03rd of January, peeping through windows into homes, hoping to spy something to steal.
Gáttaþefur ‘Doorway-Sniffer’ – from the 22nd of December - 04th of January, Gáttaþefur, lured to your home by the scent of freshly baked laufabrauð (‘leaf bread,’ a traditional Icelandic Christmas bread), arrives to one’s doorway and will attempt to steal the laufabrauð.
Ketkrókur ‘Meat-Hook’ – from the 23rd of December to the 05th of January, Ketkrókur would find a way to steal the meat from your kitchen. He’ll hide in the pantry, behind doorways, in the rafters, or even up the chimney, and he’ll use his long, hooked staff, or meat hook, to quickly snatch away the meat either while it is being prepared or from the holiday table itself.
Kertasníkir ‘Candle-Stealer’ or ‘Candle-Beggar’ – from the 24th of December to the 06th of January, Kertasníker, the last of the Yule Lads, steals candles, especially from children. Candles were once typically made from tallow and were edible, and some lore states that Kertasníker would steal the candles to snack on.
Nowadays, the Yule Lads are said to leave candies and small gifts for good children, placing the goods in the shoes that kids leave on their windowsills in hopes of finding them later filled with presents. Bad children, however, are said to be left nothing but rotten potatoes.
As for Grýla, well… Grýla comes and kidnaps naughty children, loading them into her sack and carrying them back to her husband, Leppalúði (who most sources say is quite lazy and prefers to stay in his cave than to go with Grýla and the Yule Lads to terrorize Icelandic children). Grýla and Leppalúði then eat the naughty children, cooking them up in Grýla’s giant pot or cauldron. Though Grýla and Leppalúði are known to have a particular fondness for eating children, some sources also warn that they’ll eat adults caught outdoors on their own during those long, dark winter nights.
If Grýla and her husband weren’t bad enough, you still have the Yule Cat to worry about, especially if you didn’t receive any gifts of new clothes for the holidays. It’s said that the Yule Cat, on Christmas night, eats anyone it catches that isn’t wearing at least one new item of clothing.
LA BEFANA
(Italian Folklore)
With particular association with Epiphany Eve (the night of the 05th of January), La Befana is a witch in Italian folklore, sometimes fondly called the Christmas Witch. She is said to fly around Italy on her broom on the night of Epiphany Eve, when she visits each household with children and fills each child’s stocking with gifts or punishments, depending on whether they were well or poorly behaved. Well-behaved children receive gifts and sweets, while those who were naughtier receive a coal lump, black rock candy, or a stick. Some tales also say that La Befana, who is obsessively tidy in some variations of her origin story, may sweep or clean your house before she leaves.
La Befana is said to be a very old woman with a cheerful, kindly disposition. She dresses simply, usually wearing a shawl either around her shoulders or tied over her hair (sometimes both), and her clothes are soot-covered, as the tales say she flies into each home via the chimney. She carries a wicker basket or cloth sack filled with all of the gifts and sweets she must deliver.
In some Italian regions, bonfires are burned on Epiphany, and those bonfires sometimes feature effigies of La Befana. Many people dress as La Befana at various Epiphany events and festivals in Italy.
ST. NICHOLAS & KRAMPUS
(Central European Folklore)
On Saint Nicholas Day (observed on the 5th or 6th of December, depending on the region), many children throughout Europe (and in diasporic communities around the world), wake up excited to check in their shoes or under their pillows for gifts from St. Nicholas. St. Nicholas, is a tall, lean, cheerful old man with a long white beard, usually depicted as being dressed in fine vestments, including a cape or chasuble, and almost always wearing an ornate miter atop his head. In Central European (and some Eastern European) folklore, though, jolly old St. Nicholas does not work alone.
The Krampus travels as Saint Nicholas’ companion. Krampus is usually depicted as a large red, black, or brown demon with cloven hooves and the legs and horns of a goat, pointed ears, a long, pointed or forked tongue, and a frightening, human face with a crazed or menacing expression. Saint Nicholas and Krampus make their rounds on Krampusnacht – the night of the 05th of December. While the well-behaved children received gifts from Saint Nicholas, naughty children meet punishment at the hands of Krampus. The punishment varies from one tale to the next — some say that Krampus switches the children with birch branches; some say that Krampus devours the children, often swallowing them whole; and still other tales say that Krampus nabs the children, loading them into the basket or pouch he wears upon his back and taking them to hell.
[left: 'Krampus mit Kind' (Krampus with child) greeting card, circa 1911 (artist unknown); right: a greeting card from the 1900s reading, 'Greetings from Krampus!' (artist unknown)]
Despite attempts by the Catholic Church to ban Krampus, belief in the goat demon is still very much alive, with festivals and parades dedicated to Krampus, such as Krampuslauf, booming in popularity.
BELSNICKEL
(Germanic Folklore)
Belsnickel (also often spelled Belschnickel or Beltznickle) is a figure of Germanic folklore that finds its origins in Rheinpfalz, a historic region of Southwestern Germany. The belief in Belsnickel finds life still yet in some areas within this region, as well as in diasporic German peoples (and the descendants thereof) in Pennsylvania Dutch communities (birthed from settlers from the Rheinpfalz region) throughout the US.
Belsnickel is a man dressed in tattered, dirtied furs and clothes. In some versions, he also wears a mask with a long, pointed tongue. Belsnickel travels around at night, usually on the night of Christmas Eve, wielding a long switch in one hand and carrying a sack filled with cakes, candies, fruits, and nuts in the other hand or on his back. Poorly behaved children would receive a switching, while well-behaved children would be given sweets from the sack.
Brown’s Miscellaneous Writings (1896) by Jacob Brown features a first-hand account, having taken place around 1830, of one Beltznickel tradition from Maryland, USA —
‘One hand would scatter the goodies upon the floor, and then the scramble would begin by the delighted children, and the other hand would ply the switch upon the backs of the excited youngsters – who would not show a wince…’
In some Pennsylvania Dutch communities, it’s said that Belsnickel arrives one-to-two weeks before Christmas to ‘check in’ on how the children were behaving, punishing the bad children and serving as a frightening warning and reminder that they had better correct their ways before Christmas.
PERCHTA
(Alpine Folklore)
Known by many names, such as Pehta Baba (in Slovenian lore), Frau Perchta, and Frau Faste (in some Swiss and Slovenian lore), Perchta is a goddess associated with winter, spinning, and folk magic, particularly in Germany and Austria.
Perchta’s association with winter bears particular emphasis on midwinter and Twelfth Night. It’s said that Perchta would enter homes during the twelve days between Christmas and Epiphany, and she would dole out rewards and punishments. Children who had been well behaved throughout the year, along with servants of the home who had worked hard, would wake the next morning to find a small gift left by Perchta. This was usually a coin or trinket, though some modern customs say she may leave candies.
Her punishments, however, were far greater than her gifts. For children and servants who had been poorly behaved, unkind, or lazy, Perchta enters their bedrooms while they slumber, cuts them open, and replaces their stomach and guts with straw. Some tales say she does not replace one's entrails but simply fills the stomach with straw. It’s also said in some tales that Perchta delivers this same punishment to those who, on the night of Perchta’s feast day, eat something aside from the traditional foods of her feast day (those foods being fish and gruel).
Perchta’s association with spinning also comes into play in some variations of this tale, in which Perchta’s punishment is reserved for those who did not complete their spinning by the time of her visit. She was also said to trample or set fire to any half-spun fibers she discovered.
Perchta’s links to midwinter come from her ties to the legend of the Wild Hunt. Some tales of the Wild Hunt feature Perchta as the leader of the hunt.
As for Perchta’s appearance, there are two main depictions. Perchta is sometimes described as a beautiful, young woman, with white or very pale hair and fair skin, usually dressed in white or silvery white hues. This Perchta differs greatly from that featured in some older versions of the tales, which describe a hag woman dressed in rags, with a wrinkled face and a large beak-like nose made of iron. Some descriptions say this woman carries a cane, and many depictions feature her keeping a knife or blade beneath her skirts or robes.
The difference in these two depictions of Perchta is also reflected in the two variations of Perchten – a term that is used to apply to both the masks worn at festivals and processions honoring Perchta, as well as to figures associated with Perchta and seen as her subjects or helpers. Of these figures, there are two types —
Schönperchten: the beautiful, bright Perchten dressed in silvers and whites, said to deliver blessings of wealth and good luck during the Twelve Nights,
and Schiachperchten: the monstrously ugly Perchten with fangs and tusks, horns, tails, and fur-covered faces. The Schiachperchten are said to drive away evil spirits, ghosts, and demons.
SPILLAHOLLE
The Spillaholle — also known as Mickadrulle / Mickatrulle, Popelholle (‘Hooded Holle’), Zumpeldrulle — is believed to be a regional variation of Frau Holle or Perchta. She is said to be a very short old woman dressed in ragged, tattered clothing and a hood, and is, in some tales, said to carry stinging nettles with her.
The Spillaholle appears in towns and villages during winter, especially nearing Christmas or during the Twelve Nights of Christmas. The Spillaholle, who is strongly associated with spinning, is said to travel through town, peeking in the windows of each house to check that children, servants, and spinsters have tended to their spinning. If their spinning hasn’t been taken care of by evening or nightfall, it’s said that the Spillaholle will dole out punishments. It’s even said that the Spillaholle will take the lazy spinsters away, beating them with the stinging nettles she carries with her. As for those who have finished their spinning, instead of a punishment, the Spillaholle leaves a blessing of protection — a single nettle is left upon the stoop or at the threshold of the home, a nettle that shall protect the house from various misfortunes for the next year.
MARI LWYD
(Welsh Folklore)
The origins of the Christmas tradition of the parading of the Mari Lwyd are up for debate. Some say it’s an early Christian practice, while many others believe that it’s a surviving pre-Christian tradition that’s been Christianized throughout the years. Believed to have come from a wassailing custom, the Mari Lwyd (said by some to mean ‘Grey Mary,’ ‘Holy Mary,’ or ‘Blessed Mary,’ and by others to mean ‘Grey Mare’) is a hobby horse, puppet, doll, or effigy that is paraded through town, carried from door-to-door by wassail-singing groups. This is done during the Christmas season, often ‘between Christmas Day and Twelfth Night.’
[from 'Ritual Animal Disguise: A Historical and Geographical Study of Animal Disguise in the British Isles' (1978) by E.C. Cawte; photograph by Frederic Evans (believed between 1904-1910).]
The head of the Mari Lwyd is usually a skull of a hoarse (and in most cases, the same skull is to be used each year), though there have been accounts of a head being carved from wood or shaped from a pillow. The skull (or makeshift horse head) is beautifully decorated with flowers and ribbons (the ribbons usually making up the Mari Lwyd’s mane), and has lights, baubles, or bottle glass for eyes. A white cloth is draped from the horse’s head down over the base of the Mari Lwyd, concealing the carrier of the doll underneath. A spring or stick is usually attached to the lower jaw of the skull, so that the jaw can be made to open and snap shut.
The parade is to begin at dusk or sundown, and singing and dancing is enjoyed whilst the Mari Lwyd makes her way along. At each door, the Mari Lwyd procession would perform traditional songs, and the household was to reply (usually through the closed door) with improvised, taunting poetry, most often delivering some kind of funny insult. A competition then ensues, a back-and-forth between the Mari Lwyd party and the household (this is a ritual called pwnco), until one side was bested and gave up, having no reply. Should the Mari Lwyd procession singers lose, they leave empty-handed. Mari Lwyd winning and entering the house, though, is believed to be a blessing that will bring good fortune to the household for the coming year.
The Mari Lwyd is known to be mischievous as well — chasing people, gnashing her jaws to scare children, and even trying to steal things or knock things about when she enters a home.
DED MOROZ & SNEGUROCHKA
(Slavic Folklore)
[sketch by Viktor Vasnetsov (1885), a costume design for the role of Ded Moroz in 'the Snow Maiden']
Ded Moroz (also called Dedushka Moroz — and other variations of Grandfather Frost — and Morozko) is familiar to many as Russian Santa, but Ded Moroz is much more than that. Ded Moroz is said to find his origins in pre-Christian Slavic paganism and folklore as a great magician and wizard of winter. Belief in Ded Moroz and customs surrounding him were banned during the early Soviet era. Nevertheless, Ded Moroz not only lives on, but has become a winter icon in East Slavic culture and is now the main figure associated with Novy God, the secular Christmas-like Russian celebration of New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.
Ded Moroz — a tall, old man with rosy cheeks and long white beard, who dresses in a floor-length fur coat and fur hat, and usually wields a magic staff — travels about (usually depicted travelling by a horse-drawn sleigh) delivering gifts to children. Some tales say that he delivers gifts all through December as well as on New Year’s Eve night, when he places the gifts under the New Year Tree whilst the household is sleeping.
One aspect of Ded Moroz’s tale that is rather unique is that of Snegurochka — Ded Moroz’s granddaughter who helps him make his deliveries. Snegurochka (also called Snegurka and the Snow Maiden), unlike Ded Moroz, doesn’t find her roots in pre-Christian Slavic lore, but rather in 19th century Russian fairytales. Snegurochka wasn’t depicted as Ded Moroz’s granddaughter until after 1935, when the holiday of Novy God was permitted by the Russia Federation. From then on, Snegurochka became Ded Moroz’s granddaughter and assistant, and has since been more commonly depicted as wearing wintery silver and blue cloaks and a fur hat or a crown made of glistening snowflakes.
SOURCES & FURTHER READING:
Þjóðsögur Jóns Árnasonar - the Collection of Folklore of Jón Árnason
The Icelandic Yule Lads and their evil mother Gryla
A Journey Around the Figure of the Befana – Manciocco, Claudia; Manciocco, Luigi
Krampus | Definition, History, & Facts
The Origin of Krampus, Europe's Evil Twist on Santa
‘the Krampus and the Old Dark Christmas: Roots and Rebirth of the Folkloric Devil’ – Ridenour, Al
The Winter Goddess: Percht, Holda, and Related Figures: Folklore: Vol 95, No 2
‘Deutsche Mythologie’ – Grimm, Jakob
Holda: Between Folklore and Linguistics
Who is Belsnickel in Pennsylvania German Christmas lore?
‘Brown’s Miscellaneous Writings’ – Brown, Jacob
Yes Helen, there is a Belsnickel
‘A Dictionary of British Folk Customs’ – Hole, Christina
The Mari Lwyd
‘Ritual Animal Disguise: A Historical and Geographical Study of Animal Disguise in the British Isles’ – Cawte, E.C.
Mari Lwyd, a Welsh Christmas Tradition
‘A Tour Through Part of North Wales, in the Year 1798, and at Other Times’ – Evans, J.
‘Perchta the Belly-Slitter and Her Kin: A View of Some Traditional Threatening Figures, Threats and Punishments’ – Smith, John B.
Felix und Ulrich Mueller - Percht und Krampus
‘the Old Magic of Christmas: Yuletide Traditions for the Darkest Days of the Year’ – Raedisch, Linda
'Дед Мороз и Снегурочка' –Dushechkina, E. B.
‘Encyclopedia of Russian & Slavic Myth and Legend’ – Dixon-Kennedy, Mike
