Belsnickel comes from the Rhineland-Palatinate region of Germany. Part of the spirit of the season, Belsnickel is male but often dresses as a woman, or wears an ugly mask with lolling tongue or stag antlers. He comes to reward the good and punish the naughty.
READ: Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction - German Mythology Adventures
Good children get nuts, candy and fruit such as oranges. The bad get beaten with a switch, which is later downgraded to the threat of receiving a lump of coal. Belsnickel is unique among the Yule "companion" spirits.
READ: Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction - German Mythology Adventures
It's thought Belsnickel originates in the Middle Ages. His name comes from German pelz (fur) and Nickel, a mischievous mine spirit, who in the 17th century is the name origin of the metal nickel. Copper miners complain about the metal left by Nickel in copper deposits.
Belsnickel may be seen as a passing shadow, but up close he is ugly. His hair sticks out and his clothes are dirty and torn. He's wrapped in a motheaten fur and he looks like he just crawled out of the woods.
READ: Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction - German Mythology Adventures
His long tongue lolls from his mouth and he has a strange laugh, but his pockets are full of sweets and cakes. The tradition of Belsnickel travels west with the Pennsylvania Germans, to German-settled regions of Brazil and parts of Eastern Canada.
In 1830 writer Jacob Brown describes Belsnickel.
"He was known as Kriskinkle, Beltznickle and sometimes as the Christmas woman. Children then not only saw the mysterious person, but felt him or rather his stripes upon their backs with his switch. The annual visitor would make his appearance some hours after dark, thoroughly disguised, especially the face, which would sometimes be covered with a hideously ugly phiz - generally wore a female garb - hence the name Christmas woman - sometimes it would be a veritable woman but with masculine force and action.
"He or she would be equipped with an ample sack about the shoulders filled with cakes, nuts, and fruits, and a long hazel switch which was supposed to have some kind of a charm in it as well as a sting. One hand would scatter the goodies upon the floor, and then the scramble would begin by the delighted children, and the other hand would ply the switch upon the backs of the excited youngsters - who would not show a wince, but had it been parental discipline there would have been screams to reach a long distance."
Belsnickel is also called Pelznichol, or Nicholas with the fur. His appearance varies widely by region. In one place he might wear a fur coat, in another vicinity bells around his neck or deer antlers on his head.
Read: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure
He might leave a hazel or birch rod in a child's shoe, meant to discipline the child. It's uncanny how Belsnickel always knows which children are good, and which are not; and how odd, Dad is always absent when Belsnickel comes by.
Belsnickel is a creature of contradictions. He brings both reward and punishment. He's male but often dresses as a woman.
He has ragged clothes but pockets or a bag full of sweet delights. He inspires fear, but also happiness. He's known as a "companion" of St Nicholas but often visits homes alone.
See also:
It's a wild party on Belsnickel Night December 6, aka the Feast of St. Nicholas. People dress up as belligerent bellowing ghouls and run around town rattling chains and bells, shouting and drinking.
READ: Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction - German Mythology Adventures
January 5 - 6 is also Twelfth Night, the last day of the Feast of Frau Holle, and the end of twelve days of Zagmuk. A similar chaotic tradition to Belsnickel Night appears in the alpine towns to the south, with the Krampuslauf or Krampus Run.
People dress as goat-horned Krampus and get rowdy. They drink Schnapps, yell, hit and frighten passersby in the streets. Towns have to tone it down as aggressive Krampuses and beleaguered townsfolk get into fist fights. In some parts it's still a seasonal tradition.