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For today’s 12 Demons of Xmas, it’s the original Xmas Demon—the one and only, the jolly old elf hisself—Santa Clause.
As any child who’s had to pose for a picture at the mall will tell you, Santa Claus is terrifying. He’s supposedly warm and jolly, but according to most legends throughout the world, Santa is the one WHO BRINGS EVIL DEMONS TO YOUR HOUSE.
That old devil Krampus? Comes to your house with St. Nick. The cannibal scarecrow Hans Trapp? Papa Nöel brings him along. The feral wild man Knecht Ruprecht? Another one of Santa’s cronies. Along with Belsnickel, Père Fouettard, and Black Pete, it’s SANTA WHO IS LETTING THESE GUYS INTO YOUR HOUSE.
This is all to say nothing of the fact that he supposedly watches children at all hours of their young lives—asleep or awake. This guy is a certified creep-o.
And while Santa is definitely based on the legend of St. Nicholas, the wealthy and generous saint of medieval Greece, he’s also based on old pagan legends about house spirits, winter demons, and elves.
In the pre-Christian era, most folks believed in little spirits and demons that inhabited every house and hearth. These beings—sometimes called the huldufólk or hidden people—were not necessarily evil, but they could turn mischievous or even malevolent if they were not appeased.
At wintertime, when ancient folks felt most vulnerable to misfortune, they often left little offerings to the house spirits and the elves in the hopes that their homes would be protected and their fortunes would be favorable. It’s no wonder that Santa eventually took on the appearance of a woodland elf or gnome, and that the centuries-old tradition of leaving out an offering (now milk and cookies) has continued to this day.
It’s also no wonder that Santa brings with him malevolent entities and demons when he visits peoples’ houses—the appearance of such beings would have been a common belief in those good old pre-Christian days. Back then it was uncommon to have unseen beings who were either wholly good or wholly evil, so when the Christians insisted that Jesus, God, and the Saints were wholly good, the more mischievous and evil characteristics had to be embodied by other characters, like Krampus or Hans Trapp or others.
An earlier incarnation of the Jolly Old Elf would have been a bit more like his evil counterparts, so you better leave Santa some milk and cookies tonight, or Santa will encourage his more unsavory helpers to dole out punishments on his behalf.
Or, he may just do it himself. You never know.
Happy Xmas Eve, my friends. You better watch out. 👀
Much love,
🎅🏼Becca Lee, the Haunted Librarian🎅🏼
PS - I have more Xmas Demons to share! I’ll be posting the rest between now and Jan 6th, the traditional end of Yule. I won’t be posting Xmas Day, and I’m going to take it easy these next couple of weeks as I unplug with my family. In the meantime, I hope you all have a Merry Xmas, and I’ll see you in the New Year!
PSS - As always, if there’s someone you know who would enjoy this newsletter, feel free to share. ❤️