No list can ever be complete without mention of the first entry who—at least in terms of media appeal—pulls the reins. Out of all the darker Winter Solstice Legends, Krampus has become the most acknowledged in modern Western pop culture! Whether he is parodied or turned into a true icon of terror, the purpose varies.
That’s because of his allure and how media has embraced him as an icon for those who don’t really celebrate the modern-day notion of Christmas or just want to be anti-establishment. But there are others who exist alongside him, whom we will explore in a separate article. They all get acknowledged, whether locally or in different regions around the world.
Belsnickel
(Germany / Pennsylvania Dutch)
Clad in tattered furs, Belsnickel visits before Christmas carrying a whip and sweets. He tests children’s manners, rewarding the polite and chastising the rude. In North America, he remains part of Pennsylvania Dutch custom, a rustic, moral counterpoint to Santa Claus. As for why he’s such a fixture in this part of the United States, the best way to find out is either to go there to witness events yourself, or….
Further reading: Christmas in Pennsylvania by Alfred Shoemaker, or this report on Pennlive.com.
Krampus
(Austria, Germany)
The horned companion of Saint Nicholas, Krampus is winter’s shadow, bearing chains, birch rods, and a wicked grin. Rooted in Alpine paganism, he punishes the naughty to balance the saint’s benevolence. Today, Krampusläufe processions transform ancient fear into festive theatre. For a more in depth look at this most iconic cheerleader of this solstice, please read our past articles here.
Further reading: The Krampus and the Old, Dark Christmas by Al Ridenour
La Befana
(Italy)
An old woman who rides her broom across Italy on Epiphany Eve, bringing sweets to good children and coal to the naughty. Once a domestic hearth spirit, she later merged with Christian traditions. Though soot-streaked and shabby, La Befana endures as a symbol of maternal warmth closing the winter season.
Further reading: The Legend of Old Befana by Tomie dePaola
Mari Lwyd
(Wales)
No, this is not just a zombie mare out to scare the Welsh countryside. While her origins are steeped in both local traditions and how she became a symbol of the life-birth cycle, just what the Lwyd represents is both about the changing of the seasons. Just what she represents is a convergence which stretches back to pre-Christian Celtic ritual: the sacred white mare of the tribe, the spectral horse at the year’s turning, the fertility totem demanding entry in exchange for blessings.
At the same time, should a skeletal horse come knocking at your door, it’s best to sing along. Thankfully, the version one encounters now is an effigy; with a fake skull draped in white cloth, carried from house to house, seeking entry. If the Mari wins the rhyme duel, she and her troupe join the feast within. The ritual is often joyous rather than the opposite, and everyone has good time.
Further reading: Welsh Folk Museum; Wales.com archives.
Olentzero / Apalpador
(Basque & Galician Spain)
There’s a slyly pagan glint behind the soot: Olentzero is thought to descend from pre-Christian Basque myth, a being tied to the dying sun of the solstice, whose charcoal and fire marked renewal rather than punishment. In Galicia, his cousin Apalpador literally rubs children’s bellies to check they’ve eaten well, a wonderfully intimate ritual that turns the solstice into a promise of warmth, survival, and full cupboards against the cold.
Further reading: Lacunza.com
Père Fouettard
(France, Belgium, Switzerland)
The stern “Father Whipper,” companion to Saint Nicholas, punishes misbehaving children with his switch and sack. He follows his boss when he does his rounds, and anyone who are not nice, well….
His origins lie in medieval morality plays and regional cautionary tales. While he’s firmly established in local lore, especially in the township of Lorraine; to see him abroad is another question. Today, he is still a fixture, and is seen as a living echo of moral consequence amid winter cheer. He’ll be there in the parades, and you will know it’s him when all that’s heard is the sound of chains, bells clanking and hooves scraping the ground. This isn’t industrial music, but rather a sign of everything he represents!
Further reading: Regional accounts of Fouettard.
Tomte / Nisse
(Sweden, Norway, Denmark)
These small, bearded household spirits guarded farms through the long northern nights. Offerings of porridge kept them content; neglect provoked mischief. Once tied to Norse ancestor worship, they evolved into modern holiday guardians. They are not too different from other cultures in regards to being protectors of the gate, but here, this seasonal sprite take their duty seriously!
Further reading: The Tomten and The Tomten and the Fox by Astrid Lindgren
Tió de Nadal / Caga Tió
(Catalonia, Spain)
A smiling log with a red hat, “fed” treats in the days before Christmas and then beaten with sticks until it “defecates” gifts and candy. This blend of humour and fertility ritual reflects the hearth’s bounty and Catalonia’s joyful irreverence. He’s one of the more friendlier pieces of folklore that can spread cheer to many, and thankfully not every Yuletide event is about scaring the living daylights of youths.
Further reading: Turisme de Catalunya archives.
Zwarte Piet
(Netherlands, Belgium)
Beneath the modern debate lies an older European trickster thread: Piet echoes the liminal winter sprites who test behaviour at the year’s darkest hinge, half helper, half menace, keeping order through mischief rather than law.
The modern take suggests he’s a chimney-hopping threshold spirit, blackened by winter labour and fire rather than by race, a reminder that midwinter folklore often thrives in moral grey rather than clean white snow. Just whether this is racism is not is still debated, but only one can wonder.
Further reading: Phantom Armies of the Night and The Tradition of Household Spirits by Claude Lecouteux
The Enduring Legacy
of These Winter Solstice Legends
These beings—witches, goblins, saints, and beasts—embody Europe’s oldest understanding of winter: that every gift of warmth is born from cold. They stand as symbols of endurance, morality, and renewal, preserving an ancient truth through laughter, fear, and firelight. Across centuries, their presence lingers in parades, songs, and sculptures, reminding us that the season of darkness was never meant to be silent.
In part three, I will look into a part of the world that doesn’t see the season the same way as western worlds; in certain regions of Asia, it does not snow. But for others, it snows heavily. Just how it affects how those people varies, and it’s eye opening!
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