As winter weather comes in with full force, it’s time for people all around the world to prepare for the upcoming holiday magic December brings, including the arrival of Santa Claus. And while many of us will be preparing for his arrival down our chimneys, Santa isn’t the only holiday figure to keep your eye out for. Across the globe, a variety of other Christmas characters plan to make their yearly visits as well, hoping to bring as much whimsy and joy to the holiday season as Mr. Claus does himself.
But who are some of these other holiday mascots? Well, look no further than here for a brief introduction to five other Christmas icons from around the world!
1. La Befana
Originating from Italian folklore, Befana (or “La Befana”) is an elderly witch who brings presents to children on January 6th to celebrate Epiphany Eve. Flying through the sky on her witch’s broom, she brings toys to all the good children while gifting the naughty children with coal, cinders, or sometimes even sticks. Befana is also said to sweep the floor before she leaves each house, hoping to sweep all bad luck and energy out the door to begin the year positively.
While she does not deliver presents on December 24th like Santa, her story is deeply intertwined with the Christmas season. In certain legends, Befana was said to have been approached by the Three Wise Men as they were on their way to find the Baby Jesus and asked her for directions to his birthplace. She unfortunately couldn’t give them an answer, however hosted them in her home overnight. The next morning, the Three Wise Men invited Befana to join them on their journey, however she declined because she had lots of housework to do. However, after they left, she had a change of heart and went out looking for them in hopes of finding Baby Jesus as well, yet she couldn’t find them. Legends say that she is still searching for Baby Jesus, leaving all the good children toys in belief that Christ lives on in them.
2. Ded Moroz and Snegurochka
Similar to Santa Claus (both in looks and in practice), Ded Moroz originates from Slavic mythology and brings gifts to all the good children around New Year’s Eve. In some cultures, Moroz is accompanied by a helper in the form of his granddaughter, Snegurochka.
With the slavic region having many differing cultures, Ded Moroz and Snegurchka also have regional differences depending on the countries they visit. In Armenia, children are expected to recite songs or poems to receive their gifts, while in Slovenia, Ded Moroz is referred to as “Grandpa Frost” and is said to be friends with Santa Claus and delivers gifts on Christmas Eve.
3. Agios Vasilis
Acting as the Greek equivalent of Santa Claus, Agios Vasilis is based on the historical figure of Saint Basil. Known as a theologian, philanthropist, and Greek Bishop, Saint Basil founded the first hospital complex, “Basiliad”, and has since been associated with the tradition of giving. Agios Vasilis brings gifts on New Year’s Day when children leave their shoes outside for him to fill with gifts. Unlike Santa, this holiday figure is depicted as more solemn, however he is sometimes seen with a white beard and red robes.
To celebrate his arrival and Feast Day, people will bake cakes known as “Vasilopita”, which have a coin hidden inside and whoever finds it will have good fortune for the new year. People will also set aside seats and meals at their tables to encourage his gift giving, as well as take up charitable deeds to honor St. Basil himself.
4. Yule Lads
On the more mischievous side of the holiday spectrum, the Yule Lads are troll-like figures found in Icelandic folklore that visit children on the 13 nights before Christmas. To obtain gifts from these holiday creatures, children will leave their shoes out on the windowsill for the Yule Lads to fill with toys, however naughty children will receive rotten potatoes as a gift instead. These characters were originally depicted to have kidnapped naughty children who misbehaved, however this interpretation has since fallen out of style.
To cause mischief, each of the 13 Yule Lads has a specific role that wreaks havoc on society, with their hectic behavior beginning on December 12th and not officially going away until January 6th. Below, you’ll find a brief description of each’s name and mischievous habit:
Stekkjarstaur- A pig-legged troll-like figure who harasses sheep.
Giljaguar- Hides in the gullies until he can sneak into the cowstable to steal their milk.
Stúfur- A short Yule Lad who steals pots and pans to eat the food crusted to the bottoms.
Þvörusleikir- A malnourished lad that steals cooking spoons.
Pottaskefill- Similar to Stúfur, he also steals pots to eat the leftovers kept within them.
Askasleikir- Hides under the bed to steal wooden food bowls that get left on the floor.
Hurðaskellir- Slams the doors for the enjoyment that comes from disturbing families, especially at night.
Skyrgámur- Really enjoys skyr, an Icelandic variation of yogurt.
Bjúgnakrækir- Steals sausages that are in the process of being smoked.
Gluggagægir- A lad who spies through windows in order to find things to steal.
Gáttaþefur- Uses his abnormally large nose to locate the scent of holiday leaf bread.
Ketkrókur- Uses a hook to steal meat.
Kertasníkir- Follows children to steal their precious (and edible) tallow candles.
5. Krampus
Possibly the most infamous figure on this list, Krampus is a figure from Central European folklore that steals naughty children during Christmas time. Surprisingly, Krampus works alongside St. Nicholas in a sort of “good cop/bad cop” situation; St. Nicholas awards the good children with treats, while Krampus takes care of the punishments for bad children. To enact his punishments, Krampus carries a birch stick used to beat children, however sometimes they are thrown in a sack and taken back to his lair to be tortured or eaten.
Krampus is depicted as a man with horns that has one human foot and one goat foot, and is also covered in black hair with a snake-like tongue. He is also noted to sometimes carry chains and his signature birch branch is sometimes swapped with a whip. However, because of his violent nature, Krampus was eventually swapped out as St. Nicholas’ sidekick and was replaced by more human-looking figures like Zwarte Piet or Farmhand Rupert.
While his appearance and actions are indeed disturbing, Krampus has maintained his Christmas presence and is the center of the holiday, Krampusnacht, in which his scary antics ensue. There are also the celebrations of Perchtenlauf and Krampuslauf, in which people dress up as Krampus-like figures and roam the streets. People will also send holiday cards that depict Krampus as well, with his features sometimes changing in order to make him look “cuter”.
Because of his popularity, Krampus has also been featured in quite a few holiday films, including the “Krampus” film series, “A Christmas Horror Story”, “Red One”, and the “Mother Krampus” film series.
So, with these other holiday characters in mind, make sure to watch out this Christmas season for not only a visit from Santa Claus, but maybe even a few visits from characters around the world.