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felis_ultharusThe Evil Santa Claus
So, I've been exploring the origins of Santa Claus.
I knew his earliest origins were in the god Odin, who'd pass over the world on the Solstice and reward children with candy if they left out carrots and things for Odin's horse Sleipner.
But today I stumbled across the story of a horrific, bestial demon who accompanies Father Christmas on his rounds and sometimes delivers the presents in German folklore.
There are many slightly different versions of the myth from place to place. The most astonishing version is Krampus, a demon who descended chimneys to dismember little children in their sleep. He fought a battle with the Turkish Saint Nicholas, who bound him with holy shackles that belonged either to Christ or to some imprisoned martyr.
Krampus in some tellings repents, and in some tellings is simply enslaved. Either way, he's forced to give presents to make amends. 'Course, who knows what he'd do if he ever broke his shackles.
...and that's the version that should be told to children planning to stay up late to see Santa ^_^
School
My grades for my last course of my master's has come in. So of my 9 courses, I received 8 A's and one A-.
Now I just have that test in March and I can leave academia behind.
So, I've been exploring the origins of Santa Claus.
I knew his earliest origins were in the god Odin, who'd pass over the world on the Solstice and reward children with candy if they left out carrots and things for Odin's horse Sleipner.
But today I stumbled across the story of a horrific, bestial demon who accompanies Father Christmas on his rounds and sometimes delivers the presents in German folklore.
There are many slightly different versions of the myth from place to place. The most astonishing version is Krampus, a demon who descended chimneys to dismember little children in their sleep. He fought a battle with the Turkish Saint Nicholas, who bound him with holy shackles that belonged either to Christ or to some imprisoned martyr.
Krampus in some tellings repents, and in some tellings is simply enslaved. Either way, he's forced to give presents to make amends. 'Course, who knows what he'd do if he ever broke his shackles.
...and that's the version that should be told to children planning to stay up late to see Santa ^_^
School
My grades for my last course of my master's has come in. So of my 9 courses, I received 8 A's and one A-.
Now I just have that test in March and I can leave academia behind.
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Date: 2006-12-24 11:09 pm (UTC)