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For many, Christmas brings cheer, presents, and family gatherings. Yet, across Europe, certain Christmas customs reveal a shadowy past. More than even Halloween, the Christmas season has long been linked with terrifying folkloric creatures.
10. Christmas and the Werewolf Myth
In Central and Southern Europe, there is a belief that children born on Christmas Day are destined to become werewolves. Why? Being born on the same day as Jesus Christ is considered a sacrilegious act. In the 20th century, Guy Endore's novel The Werewolf of Paris brought this idea back into the spotlight, with the werewolf Bertrand Caillet born on Christmas Day after his mother was assaulted.
Some believe the folk Catholic tradition of Yuletide werewolves is a leftover from the Roman Lupercalia festival, a winter celebration honoring the she-wolf that nurtured Romulus and Remus. The fear of werewolves once ran so deep that simply saying the word “wolf” was thought to curse an entire village.
9. Christmas and the Witches
For modern Wiccans, Yule and the Winter Solstice are among the holiest times of the year. In the neo-pagan view of history, Christmas is seen as a sanitized version of Yule, an ancient pagan festival celebrated by the Germanic and Celtic peoples, as well as the Roman Saturnalia. For many Wiccans and other practitioners, this time is especially potent for casting spells.
Although it’s clear that many aspects of modern Christmas stem from the pagan customs of ancient Europe, the concept of Yule witchcraft actually originates from folk Catholic traditions, particularly the belief that the 12 days between Christmas and Epiphany represent a time when the spirit realm interacts with our own.
8. Holda, the Winter Goddess
Also known as Holle or Frau Holda, Holda is a Germanic deity found in the folklore of Scandinavia, northern Germany, and the Alpine regions of Bavaria, Austria, Switzerland, and South Tyrol. According to legend, Holda roams the nights between Christmas and Epiphany, either riding a wagon or horseback, leading a spectral hunting party.
It is believed that her spiritual companions are the souls of unbaptized infants and those not yet ready to enter Heaven. As a key figure in witchcraft within German-speaking Catholic traditions, Holda may have ties to the Greek goddess Diana.
Another prevalent belief is that Holda is connected to the malevolent Herodias, the mother of Salome, who urged her daughter to behead John the Baptist.
7. Klaubauf, the Shadowy Figure
Thanks to the rise of the Internet, comic books, and certain horror films, the figure of Krampus has once again captured the world’s attention. A demonic assistant of Saint Nicholas, Krampus hails from the German-speaking regions of the Alps. However, it’s important to understand that there isn’t a single, uniform portrayal of Krampus.
In both East Tyrol and the German-speaking region of South Tyrol in Italy, the Klaubauf monsters are grotesque, hairy beings summoned by the cries of children on the eve of Saint Nicholas Day.
Once roused, the Klaubauf accompany Saint Nicholas as he visits homes to determine which children have been good or bad. In certain places, like Thurn, Austria, locals and Klaubauf performers take part in violent wrestling matches.
6. Ungroomed Peter, the Wild Man
“Ungroomed Peter” is just one of many dark Christmas legends. As the main villain in Heinrich Hoffmann’s tale of the same name, Ungroomed Peter is a massive creature with unkempt hair and unnaturally long nails. He punishes or consumes children who harm animals, refuse to eat their meals, suck their thumbs, or engage in other forms of mischief.
Other terrifying figures from German and Austrian folklore include the Black Man, Krampus, and Ruprecht. These characters are used to encourage good behavior in children through fear and connect ancient Germanic Yule customs with some Italian Carnival traditions.
5. Frau Perchta
The night before Twelfth Night is celebrated as Perchta’s Day. A frightening figure from the Alps, Frau Perchta is often imagined as a terrifying old witch. Folklore suggests that if a person fails to follow a specific diet, Perchta will sneak into their home and rip open their stomach.
Hailing from the snowy regions of Austria, southern Germany, and Switzerland, Frau Perchta embodies traits of ancient forest deities. She is frequently depicted as both a witch and a goddess.
To avoid angering the wild-eyed Perchta, it is advised to leave out milk or porridge for her to consume. This practice might have influenced the American custom of leaving milk and cookies for Santa Claus.
4. The Yule Cat
In Iceland, the Yule Cat punishes those who fail to buy a new piece of clothing before Christmas. Known as Jolakotturinn, this enormous creature serves as a reminder to the Icelandic people to work diligently throughout the year. Those who haven't worked hard enough to afford new clothes risk a visit from the Yule Cat, who delights in devouring all of the food of the lazy individuals.
While the exact origins of the Yule Cat remain unclear, the moral of the tales is not. Though only a few stories depict the cat eating humans, the massive creature functions as a bogeyman figure, encouraging hard work among the Icelandic people, known for their strong work ethic.
3. La Befana
La Befana, often called the Christmas Witch, is a well-known figure throughout Italy. Described as a witch who rides her broom across the winter skies, she brings gifts to well-behaved children on January 6, or Epiphany.
For those who have misbehaved, La Befana is said to descend chimneys, leaving coal or switches in their stockings. It’s a common warning among Italian parents that if children don’t behave, La Befana might come to take them away.
La Befana shares similarities with figures like Saint Nicholas and Krampus from the German-speaking Alps. Additionally, she may have ancient roots similar to Holda, with both figures being reinterpreted with Christian stories to counterbalance folk traditions that were outside church teachings.
According to the tale of La Befana, she was approached by the Three Magi on the night of Christ’s birth. After offering them food and shelter, she decided not to join them to witness the birth, citing her overwhelming housework. Later, La Befana regretted her decision but found neither the Magi nor Jesus. To this day, she flies in search of them.
2. Val Di Fiemme Witch Trial
This legend is rooted in historical events. Annually celebrated in early January in the Italian regions of Trentino and South Tyrol, the Val di Fiemme witch trial reenactments commemorate the executions of 14 individuals between 1501 and 1505.
The trials began after Giovanni delle Piatte claimed to have encountered the goddess Diana (some sources suggest it was the Germanic goddess Holda) in the Venusberg, the mythical home of Venus in the German-speaking Alps.
In an attempt to save himself from execution, delle Piatte implicated several other witches he had seen in the mountains at night. Among them was a woman named Margherita Tesero (or Vanzina), who was accused of leading a coven and a cult that communicated with incubi and other dark spirits.
In present-day Cavalese, in the Italian Tyrol, the witchcraft trials, which were intended to prevent local witches from controlling the weather and cursing their neighbors, are reenacted through live performances and the symbolic burning of witches in effigy.
1. Pere Fouettard
As can already be observed, Saint Nicholas is often linked to the darker elements of European folk traditions surrounding Christmas. Celebrated predominantly in Nord-Palais-de-Calais, Alsace, and Lorraine (the latter two regions having significant German-speaking populations), Saint Nicholas Day occurs on December 6.
One of the most notorious and chilling tales about Saint Nicholas involves his rescue of three children from the feared Pere Fouettard. According to the story, Fouettard was a malevolent butcher who captured three lost and starving boys with the intention of eating them.
In some versions of the story, Fouettard succeeds in consuming the boys, while in others, Saint Nicholas saves them just in time. After returning the boys to their families, Saint Nicholas transforms Pere Fouettard into his assistant—a switch-wielding terror who punishes naughty children during the annual gift-giving on Saint Nicholas Day night.
