More Santa

[spudtater]

I've talked about the various characters who went into the modern Santa Claus, but as sigmonster pointed out, my list of winter gift-givers is far from complete. Here are a few of the more esoteric ones, ranging from the slightly odd to the downright bizarre:

• Befana is the Italian bringer of winter gifts, on January 5th. Unlike most, she's female — a warty old woman in ragged clothes who rides on a broom. Like other gift bringers, she arrives through the chimney and puts gifts in children's stockings. To misbehaved children, however, she brings a lump of coal. Offerings left to her include a spicy sausage, a glass of wine, and — somewhat strangely — broccoli. Stories tie her to the myth of the three wise men, though she may have predated christianity.

• Joulupukki is the Finnish version; the Yule goat. Traditionally, people dressed in goat hides after Yule, and went around from house to house asking for leftover food. Nowadays, however, his name is applied to a character much the Russian Ded Moroz; he comes around on Christmas eve and gives children presents. Goat symbology is still present in Scandinavia, though (more on that later), such as that wicker goat that was recently burned for the 22nd year running.

• Olentzero is the Basque gift giver, who has a very odd history indeed. Originally he was sole survivor of a tribe of giants, who witnessed the divine sign of the birth of Jesus. He was a glutton and drunkard, but every christmas eve he would locate people who ate too much that day and cut their throats with a sickle. How he got transformed from this to a gift-bringer is somewhat mysterious. Nowadays his story is entirely different; he was an orphan (human, not giant) who made wooden toys to give to children at christmas. After finding a house on fire and saving the children, he was granted immortality. He is nowadays portrayed as a fat, jolly (but not particularly old) man with a pipe.

• The Tió de Nadal is the Catalan version of the Yule log. It is personified, with a face and legs. Every winter evening it is given something to eat and covered with a blanket so that it does not get cold. On christmas day it is placed in the fireplace, hit with sticks, and commanded to shít out presents. (I am not making this up. Would I lie to you?) It defecates sweets, nuts and figs. Finally it excretes a herring or clove of garlic to show that it is finished and cannot produce any more goodies. The crapping log beastie is not the only Catalan gift-bringer, though; larger presents are brought by the three wise men. The Tió de Nadal may be related to today's Christmas tree (a concept which I find somewhat disturbing).

Comments

[whyness.livejournal.com]

wow, that's amazing

[spudtater.livejournal.com]

Hullo, it's a juggler!

[whyness.livejournal.com]

we get around :o)

You still a regular in Ed?

MAY see you next week if so

[spudtater.livejournal.com]

Am dirty unemployed scum. May turn up some week.