‘Krampus’, Jugend, 1933From the Original Illustration of Margaret Clark 1901-2001 AustralianFarmer’s Wife Magazine talking to Santa December 1928The Life And Adventures of Santa Claus by L. Frank Baum1912 Jolly Old St. Nicholas 1 st. Edition Hurst & Co, racist contentDisney’s SANTA’S TOY SHOP Little Golden Book #D16Richard Scarry, Ford Rotunda Christmas Book (Ford Motor Company) 1961Disney’s SANTA’S TOY SHOP Little Golden Book #D16 frontispieceSanta from Adventures in Wonderland Feb 1956. The baby face on the Santa is creepy (to me) but some kind of sanctification has to happen to make a regular man into Santa, otherwise he’s just a creepy old man or a chimney demon. (I believe this is meant as a colouring in page.)Snow Buntings Woman Of Fashion – Puck Magazine Illustration By Will Hammell circa Jan 1914Einar-Nerman, Santa Claus, 1922M. P. Pamela ColebournSanta Claus and his Works, by George Webster, published 1888Santa Claus and his Works, by George Webster, published 1888Santa Claus and his Works, by George Webster, published 1888THE CHRISTMAS BOOK Boys & Girls 1950s Santa Children’s Story Book‘River Po Liqueur’ Poster by Silvio Bagni, 1920Sidney Sime coal
Krampus, the half-goat, half-demon punisher of naughty children on St. Nicholas's Eve (6th Dec.) in central European popular legend, is thought to have his roots in pre-Christian Alpine traditions linked to pagan initiation rites. #SuperstitionSat@SuperstitionSatpic.twitter.com/tcrP9VFwcf
Boy’s Life Magazine December 1934 SantaOutdoor Life January 1937 Lucky Strike cigarette advertisementThe Open Road For Boys Magazine cover art Santa on a horseWilliam Ewart Lockhart (1846–1900) Old Father Christmas
FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION
Magic and Legends of Old Chrstimas, a 12 part YouTube series by Benito Cereno
The Krampus has become a big folkloric figure at Christmas time in recent years. But less discussed and of equal interest are the female figures of the Perchten from the alpine regions. On this, the final episode of Season 3 of the Folklore Podcast, host Mark Norman redresses the balance in an interview with alpine folklore expert Al Ridenour, the creator of the Bone and Sickle podcast.
One version of the German Santa is known as the “Belsnickel”. He is stern, usually dressed in furs. Like Wee Willy Winky in Scotland, German parents say, “The Belsnickel is coming, you better be good.” The Belsnickel is thought to whip children. Like other vindictive Santas, he can gift lumps of coal instead of candy.
CONTEMPORARY FICTION SET IN AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND (2023)
On paper, things look fine. Sam Dennon recently inherited significant wealth from his uncle. As a respected architect, Sam spends his days thinking about the family needs and rich lives of his clients. But privately? Even his enduring love of amateur astronomy is on the wane. Sam has built a sustainable-architecture display home for himself but hasn’t yet moved into it, preferring to sleep in his cocoon of a campervan. Although they never announced it publicly, Sam’s wife and business partner ended their marriage years ago due to lack of intimacy, leaving Sam with the sense he is irreparably broken.
Now his beloved uncle has died. An intensifying fear manifests as health anxiety, with night terrors from a half-remembered early childhood event. To assuage the loneliness, Sam embarks on a Personal Happiness Project:
