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What is Belsnickeling in canada?
The article, which appears in the latest edition of “re:porter,” outlines obscure holiday traditions from Atlantic Canada, including that of Belsnickeling, where a group of people dress in Santa costumes with bells and chains, visit their neighbours and have them guess the identity of each Belsnickel.
How do you celebrate Belsnickel?
Belsnickel traditionally dressed in furs (or sometimes rags, depending on the area) and carried a switch (a small wooden whip). Unlike Santa Claus—who children never saw—Belsnickel made his presence known when he rapped on the windows and/or doors of German homes a couple of weeks before Christmas.
What night is Belsnickle?
One Belsnickel comes quietly during the night of Dec. 5, leaving treats in the shoes of well-behaved boys and girls. In other families, a menacing Belsnickel would pay a visit to homes on Dec. 6, looking ragged and enraged.
What is the story of Belsnickel?
Belsnickel is related to other companions of Saint Nicholas in the folklore of German-speaking Europe. He may have been based on an older German myth, Knecht Ruprecht, a servant of Saint Nicholas and a character from northern Germany. Belsnickel is a man wearing furs and sometimes a mask with a long tongue.
How did Belsnickel turn human?
Instead of a man, he’s a former elf, cursed to be a human teenager after he broke the Elves’ Code of conduct. The Elves’ Code says that if any elf is selfish, jealous, and untruthful, among other attributes, he will be punished for his transgressions.
Is Belsnickel good or bad?
According to Christmas lore, he gives candy to good children and beats bad children with a whip. Belsnicakel is part of the Christmas lore of Germany, other German-speaking countries and the Pennsylvania Dutch, a community in the United States since the 1830s.
Is there really a Belsnickel?
Belsnickel (also known as Belschnickel, Belznickle, Belznickel, Pelznikel, Pelznickel, Bell Sniggle) is a crotchety, fur-clad Christmas gift-bringer figure in the folklore of the Palatinate region of southwestern Germany along the Rhine, the Saarland, and the Odenwald area of Baden-Württemberg.
Is Krampus the same as Belsnickel?
In fact, Belsnickel shares many of the same characteristics as Krampus but isn’t as scary. But, compared to Krampus, he seems like a nice guy! He’ll even deliver socks or shoes full of candy to children who have behaved, but if you’ve been bad, well, Belsnickel will give you a bunch of coal or a switch.
Are Krampus and Belsnickel the same?
Why did Belsnickel become human?
Is Belsnickel a real thing?
Most Americans learned about Belsnickel, the haunting German gift giver, from the hit TV show The Office. However, if you’ve ever lived in Pennsylvania or have German or Swiss family, Belsnickel is a familiar (and terrifying) face.
Is Krampus a good guy?
The mythical Krampus is meant to whip children into being nice. When listening to the radio in December, it’s unlikely to hear holiday songs singing the praises of Krampus: a half-goat, half-demon, horrific beast who literally beats people into being nice and not naughty.
Where did the tradition of the Belsnickel come from?
The Belsnickel is a German character similar to Santa that is popular in Pennsylvania Dutch communities. The character was made popular during a holiday episode of The Office. According to the article, Germans brought Belsnickeling to Nova Scotia in the 1750s and “most Nova Scotians” now participate in the tradition.
When does the Belsnickel come to the House?
Amongst the Pennsylvania Germans, Belsnickel is the character who visits homes prior to Christmas to check up on the behavior of the children. The traditional Belsnickel showed up at houses 1–2 weeks before Christmas and often created fright because he always knew exactly which of the children misbehaved.
What does it mean to run on Belsnickle Night?
“Belsnickling” or “Klausentreiben,” was the “running” of groups of young men or youth dressed in false faces and fantastic costumes on “Belsnickle Night”, the eve of the Feast of St. Nicholas ( St. Nikolaustag ), and was the occasion of good-natured boisterousness.
What does Belsnickel do on the eve of Christmas?
On the Eve of Christmas, just before everybody would go to bed, Belsnickel would announce his arrival by knocking on the windowpanes or doors. The children actually get to see Belsnickel, unlike Santa Claus who travels down the chimney while the children are asleep.