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James O'Brien 10am - 1pm
3 January 2018, 16:23
Why do Scandinavian countries have an evil Santa who only brings coal?
Christmas Question:
Why is it in Scandinavian countries there’s an evil Santa? In Germany, an evil Santa would go into the child’s room with sacks and scare the children.
John, Reading
Answer:
**Definitive**
Name: Isabelle, Portsmouth
Qualification: ex-habitant of Belgium and Austria
Answer: his name is Krampus. He’s a half-demon, half-goat figure. He’s kind of the opposite to the European St. Nicholas who, contrary to the British version of Santa, is very different. In Europe, St. Nicholas is a Turkish guy who travels by boat, which is manned by helpers called ‘Black Peters’, which is basically naughty kids who have been dyed black through coal. When St. Nicholas comes to a house, if he thinks the kid has been good for the year, he’ll reward them with a gift. If not, he’ll leave them with a block of coal, and that’s a sign for Krampus to come, abduct them, and take them away in a sack of coal, and dye them to become a servant of St. Nicholas to serve the good kids.
Name: Luke, Basingstoke
Qualification: Agnostic-Pagan
Answer: Krampus actually comes from the ancient North religions, and he’s a God of the Underworld, and he’d kidnap bad kids. He’s a counter to Odin, who’d travel round giving gifts. So it’s a fusion between old and new cultures.