#Knecht Ruprecht

[zal-cryptid]

[marine-indie-gal]

Given the fact that Halloween is already over, I'd figure that I knew I needed to expand more of my Adaptational Rudolph/Christmas Lore starting with the Two Polar Opposites of Holiday Mascots, including my versions of Young! Santa (Nick) and Krampus (Chris) (Yes, I did based off of Young Krampus off of Knecht Ruprecht, one of the earliest versions of the Krampus Character).

(Yes, I know November is the Month of Thanksgiving but given that Christmas is only a Month ahead of its away, I wouldn't want to miss it for Next Month).

Santa and Krampus were once Close Friends but that all had to changed due to One Big Mistake that changed their Whole Lives forever to where they are now.

Santa will always be remembered as "Saint Nick" whereas Krampus' Real Name will forever be forgotten.

(Yes, I know that Santa and Krampus aren't actually "Enemies" in Christmas Lore but I always did prefer the whole "Childhood Friends to Adult Enemies" dynamic beneath them due to how I always vision Krampus the more polar opposite to Santa's side).

Santa Claus/Saint Nicholas & Krampus/Knecht Ruprecht (c) Christmas Folklore & Abrahamic Religions

Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer (c) Robert L. May

[palatinewolfsblog]

After Work (Hommage a E. H.) ...

[schweizercomics]

Companions of Christmas 5: Knecht Ruprecht!

Abandoned in the woods as a baby due to his giant appetite, the enormous Ruprecht was raised by bears 'til he was found by good ol' St. Nick, who became his lifelong friend, and offered more comfortable surroundings.

Ruprecht knew a lot of cold winters growing up, and always worries that kids will be too cold, so when he joins Santa on his visits, Ruprecht often gives them bundles of kindling for the fire. Kids often misinterpret this as a pile of switches for use in their own beatings.

Ruprecht doesn't talk much, and is always a little nervous when in people's homes - it's a struggle to remember not to scratch his back on the furniture, or to playfully boff someone with his enormous paw... I mean, hand. But he tries!

He's most at ease around animals (he's very good with them), so Santa has put him in charge of the stables, where he cares for the reindeer, horses, and other animals that Santa uses to deliver gifts, and that's why he's called Knecht Ruprecht ("knecht" here means "groom," a servant who manages the horses in a stable).

[frosted-night]

Sry for the spam about Krampus, he’s just my favorite Yule spirit. But do you got any headcanons about his backstory? Like who he was before he became a Yule spirit and he met north.

MAN IM SORRY IF I SAW THIS LATE I HAVENT CHECKED MY INBOX IN A HOT MINUTE HOWDY

As for his backstory, there aren't many like him (species wise) so its probably an Aster situation. Though hes young in comparison. He found himself one day in the cold mountains of Europe and walked until he found some semblance of civilization. Humans didn't see him of course but nature spirits kind of took him under their wing. Teaching him how to survive the cold, blend in with the light and shadows and how to fend for himself.

He grew resentful towards children who were ungrateful for what they had while he had nothing. Thus, he began a campaign to punish the naughty children. His earliest methods..were out of pocket I'll admit that. It caught the attention of jolly St.Nicholas and he was dispatched to the area Krampus was in.

They fought long and hard but came to an agreement since Krampus only came out during December to punish children. He loosened his methods and walked alongside North during their festivities. They'd play fight for the childrens amusement, walk the parades and take shifts together on Krampusnacht and Yule/Christmas.

They grew closer but kept it a secret as they were unsure of the others feelings. to each other after North needed help raising a child he found. (Knecht Ruprecht, german xmas spirit)

[unerhoerkt]

Nikolaus und Knecht Ruprecht gibt es nicht - das weiß Leo seit seiner Kindheit schon. Dass die beiden aber wieder auftauchen, als er erwachsen wird, ist ihm ein Rätsel, ebenso wie die Tatsache, dass anscheinend nur er sie sehen kann.

Dass er jedes Jahr wieder nur die Rute von Knecht Ruprecht bekommt, versteht Leo nicht wirklich - beschweren möchte er sich aber auch nicht darüber. Weder über die Weidenrute noch dessen Schwanz, der seinen Hintern zum angenehmen Brennen bringt.

Prompt: Leo und Knecht Ruprechts jährlicher Besuch

[kid-karoshi]

stay.

[tuxedomoon-64]

St.Nikolaus

[lynnaquinn]

Omgs I had an amazing Frostgrave idea!

I kinda want a team based on Santa and Friends, here me out:

I'd probably run Santa as a Summoner so I can have easy access to Summon Demon (and the 10th level version from Forgotten Pacts that lets you get a permanent demon) to be able to have Krampus or Belsnikle and give him Animal Companion (and eventually build into Beastcraft from Beast Pits) to be able to have Reindeer/Mari Lywd/Yule Cat as well as give him the Raise Zombie spell so I can run Hans Trapp.

Then for his Apprentice, either have Frau Perchta or Knecht Ruprecht as the Apprentice and the other as a Soldier of some kind (Monk or Mystic Warrior probably.)

Have the Giant Blood soldiers from Blood Legacy be used to represent a Yule Lad or two.

The Rogues and Thugs then could all be Kobolds and/or Christmas Elves.

Just a cute idea I might work on for next year!

[locktrich]

I like to think there's 1 Santa Claus for every family/group of people who celebrate Christmas and they all work as a collective hivemind. However, there's only one Krampus, Knecht Ruprecht, Père Fouettard, etc. which is why even mean people still get presents; the Santa Swarm's helpers are all overworked and understaffed.

[incorrectfatui]

Peruere: *writing a letter*  Peruere: Dear Santa,  I'm writing to let you know I've been naughty...  And it was worth it you fat, judgemental bastard.

[forensic420]

MW2 Task Force 141+König Hyperrealistic HC’s ✰

Ghost

-Not as reserved as you think he’d be, he’s actually very talkative. Him and Soap’s comm dialogue is more then enough evidence to show that he enjoys a good conversation and even jokes.

-Does that soldier sleep position often x . He’s a light sleeper, always ready to defend. When comfortable you can find him mumbling in his sleep, usually soft “yes”’s and “no”’s.

-Doesn’t fully understand American culture, he’s very confused by common American delicacies. “Y/N, what the fuck is a bucee’s?” He’d ask with a stressed look.

-Avid user of the word “cunt”. Top three favorite words. Also loves saying, “cheers ya slag”, he thinks and waits for scenarios so he can use it.

Gaz

-Very passionate about the military and his career. Gaz as a child would attend parades only to see the soldiers and wait at the end of the parade to meet them, his room was also filled with military toys and articles.

-His main song he listens to is Red Nation by The Game and Lil Wayne, it’s one of the few songs he downloaded on a portable music player.

-Is always around Price no matter where. You can always find him in Price’s office just chatting away and discussing documents. The two are bonded and Gaz is grateful to have an “older” and experienced father figure.

-Enjoys quiet days at the base. He likes just being able to hang out and be around his friends and team, he’d go to great lengths for his fellow soldiers.

Soap

-Soap’s accent can be super thick at times, causing the team to not understand him at times. He doesn’t attempt to correct himself most times, just continuing to ramble and goes on with the conversation.

-Is terrified of Ronald Mcdonald. “He be too happy, y’know?” He’d claim and frown. BIG fan of Grimace and the Hamburgler though, often always commenting on his love for them when the team mentions fast food.

-Secret artist. Soap’s mystery talent is he’s very gifted in drawing, he keeps his sketch pads under his mattress. He’d never show anyone but he is engrossed in sketching the team. There’s pages full of Ghost, Price, and Gaz just doing common things like sitting in a meeting or having a conversation with another team member.

-Absolutely hates doing dishes. Whenever he’s on dish duty he always complains. “A'd ower die.” He’d say and convince Gaz to do it, with the agreement of him doing Gaz’s chores for a week.

Price

-Is always rambling to Gaz or Soap about old movies he loves and makes them watch it with him. It became a weekly occurrence to find Price with the team watching some old western or military film.

-Enjoys watching documentaries about ancient civilizations, his favorite is Mesopotamia and the Shang dynasty.

-Price is always making sure his team is feeling good, often spending an equal amount of alone time with each member to talk and company them. “How’re you feeling, son?” He’d ask with a gentle but firm hand on their shoulder.

-When Soap is rambling and his accent is completely drowning a coherent sentence Price just nods and hums to him. He never comments on it, even if he doesn’t fully understand what was said.

König

-Huge fan of Rammstein. His teenage room was covered in posters of them and other bands like Helloween. Even as a full grown man he is not afraid to admit his love for Till Lindemann.

-A firm believer of Krampus and is very passionate about the subject. “Mein Gott! Don’t you know Knecht Ruprecht will get you if you’re naughty?” He’d tease to his soldiers, always backing it up by saying he knew a kid who got whipped by him.

-Has catatonic tendencies, will frequently withdrawal and get irritable. He’ll stay in his room going rigid and stays stupor. At times no Kortac member will see him, always wandering around base to try to find him. Once he snaps out of it he’ll often not remember it. “Was meinst du?” He’d ask and furrow his eyebrows, talking about a past day mission as if it were yesterday.

-As a child he was always absorbed and immersed in his mother’s snow globe collection. Gripping onto the mantle he’d watch the faux snow twirl around in the liquid. Was always afraid that somehow the globes would miraculously all fall off the mantle and shatter onto the ground.

[octuscle]

I know the holly jolly fat man is supposed to be this sweet, sanitized mystical figure, I get that. But is there something you can do for a guy who finds Santa sexy? Big, round fuzzy man going around giving “gifts”, if you catch my drift.

There are indeed many different fetishes… And every demand is met somehow. So contact the Santa Escort Service. The logo looked promising.

Santa should be there in a few minutes. You have arranged to meet at a shabby motel. Not because it's cheap. Because it makes you horny. You've already undressed, your hard-on is in joyful anticipation. There's a knock. You open the door. And your erection collapses. There stands a skinny, pimply student with a ridiculous glued-on beard. That was not your expectation. But that's why you contacted me.

"Have you always been good?" asks the weakling with a thunderous bass you wouldn't have thought him capable of. You shake your head. Still unable to react out of disappointment. The Christmas hustler unbuttons his red coat. You wouldn't have thought him capable of such a hairy chest. "But at least you can recite a poem?" You shake your head again. He pulls the cheap hat off his head and rips the beard off his face. Surprisingly, there is a full beard underneath. Your cock starts to twitch again. "Let's see what kind of naughty kids we've got in our sack." You didn't think his voice could go any lower. Santa's skin is getting healthier and much, much darker. His chest puffs out. Fuck, was that red coat sleeveless just now? And where did he get those monstrous arms with which he pulls a pair of handcuffs out of the velvet sack? "Lie down on the bed, you Christmas gnome!" You can't help but obey his wish, his command. Santa strikes a double bicep pose and rips the coat off his upper body. Okay, this isn't the kindly white-haired man you were expecting. But he is tall and round and bearded. And damn, he has a huge present for you.

Half an hour later, you're lying on the bed, encrusted with cum and drenched in sweat. Santa puts on his sweatpants. What you wouldn't give to be such a picture of a Christmas stallion… Santa asks you if you need a special invitation. You rub your aching wrists and look at him questioningly. He throws you the car keys. Your shift as Knecht Ruprecht, Santa's always horny assistant and chauffeur, is about to begin. Have fun with it!

Pics found @maxx-magnum

[fafnir19]

Naughty or nice

Kathy and Ben lived in the same apartment building. They often bumped into each other in the lobby or elevator, exchanging casual small talks. Kathy, with her charming smile and endearing laughter, always managed to brighten Ben's day, but he was never quite sure how to respond to her presence. Since Kathy had broken up with her boyfriend, she had been turning to Ben for help quite often, seeking his company and assistance even for the smallest matters. Ben had treated Kathy had never sat well with Ben. So, when Kathy constantly asked for his help, Ben couldn't help but feel a growing annoyance. Perhaps she had been never been a fan of Kathy's ex-boyfriend. He considered him to be an arrogant snob, and the way he treating her ex-boyfriend like a servant because she came from a wealthy family, Ben assumed with a tinge of bitterness. "Hey, Kathy, I can't keep doing this," Ben said one day, his frustration bubbling over. "I'm not your personal assistant, you know. And just because your parents have money, doesn't mean you can make others do whatever you want."

It was St. Nicholas Day, and Kathy pleaded with Ben for help again. "Please, Ben, it's important! I promise I won't ask for anything again," she implored. "You always say that," Ben shouted, his patience wearing thin. "I'm not your servant, Kathy!" Storming out of the apartment building in a huff, Ben collided with St. Nicholas and his helper, Knecht Ruprecht, who were spreading joy and cheer in the neighborhood.

"You've been good this year, young man?" St. Nicholas asked with a twinkle in his eye. "Save that question for the kids," Ben replied, irked by the joviality around him. Without warning, Knecht Ruprecht swiftly stuffed Ben into his sack, ignoring Ben's shouts and struggles. Before Ben could even comprehend what was happening, he found himself in the workshop of St. Nicholas with no way of escape. St. Nicholas's voice filled the workshop as he explained Ben's predicament. "You have refused to help Kathy too many times, young man. As a consequence, you will now work in my workshop until you understand the true spirit of Christmas."

In the following weeks leading up to Christmas, Ben toiled alongside the cheerful Christmas elves in the workshop. The air was thick with the scent of fresh pine and the sound of little hammers and chisels transforming old, forgotten toys into new ones with magical craftsmanship. However, instead of feeling the joy of the season, Ben's heart grew colder as he was forced to immerse himself in the work. Furthermore, the elves had also forced Ben to wear a green tuxedo, a symbol of his servanthood that he couldn't shed. As Christmas drew nearer, St. Nicholas took Ben aside and revealed to him the truth about Kathy. "She is lonely, and she has turned to you because she cares for you. Her constant requests for help were her way of trying to connect with you." Before Ben could process this revelation, the Christmas elves lined up, thanking Ben for his hard work. "Only one thing remains to be done," they declared. Ben was puzzled, for all the old toys had been transformed into new ones. The elves surrounded him, molding him as if he were clay, their nimble fingers shaping his features with delicate precision. As if guided by magic, his once unremarkable visage transformed into that of a dashing, handsome young man with captivating charm. A radiant smile graced his chiseled features; his eyes sparkled with newfound allure, and he stood in stunned silence as he admired his own reflection.

On Christmas Eve, St. Nicholas took Ben on his sleigh to deliver gifts.

But instead of taking him to his own home, St. Nicholas placed him under Kathy's Christmas tree. "Wait, I can't be here!" Ben's panic rose in his throat, but he couldn't move a muscle. St. Nicholas's words echoed in his mind: "You are nothing more than a gift now, a toy for the big girls.". He was a gift now, and a gift couldn't simply walk away from the Christmas tree.

Kathy's gasp filled the room as she laid eyes on the extraordinary Christmas surprise. "Oh, my goodness! This is amazing!" She lifted Ben, who could only watch in shock as she reveled in her new companion, oblivious to the turmoil within him. As their days together unfolded, Kathy found herself ecstatic with the new Ben, soon realizing that he was not only the perfect boyfriend on the outside but was also unexpectedly better in every way, especially in bed. Despite his protests and struggles, he was perceived by everyone as an ideal boyfriend, a mirror image of Kathy's previous beau.

However, Kathy was enamored with her new companion, and Ben couldn't help but notice her joyful laughter and contented smiles. And in the privacy of their moments together, Ben noticed another change – she moaned with delight and found solace in his embrace, making him question the depth of his own feelings.

[weirdchristmas]

Not Krampussen/ies/'s. Perchten. And probably Knecht Ruprecht.

[themousefromfantasyland]

The Creatures of Yuletide: The Hidden History of the Christmas Goats

How Christians allowed pagan goat symbolism into their sacred holidays

Back in 2020, I started a series of posts here called Creatures of Yuletide, diving into the strange world of the creatures and magical figures that are said to appear during the holidays. However, there were some creatures and some interesting pieces of lore that I left unexplored, so now that I’m on my break from college, I’m thinking about bringing the series back for this holiday season.

I consider this piece a companion to my posts about Krampus, the Yule Goat, and the Companions of St. Nicholas, explaining things that I got wrong or thought were left unclear.

Let's start with my biggest complaint about the portrayal of Krampus in modern media: Why is he always a villain?

Originally an obscure character of regional European traditions, Krampus exploded in popularity in the late 2010s, quickly becoming a stock villain in cheap Christmas horror films, usually portrayed as a common demon or as a demon doppelganger of Santa Claus.

The fact is, that the tradition of Santa Claus started with St. Nicholas appearing on the eve or right on the day of his feast distributing some sweets, oranges, and nuts to children. However, these treats were only for good children. The bad children received a visit from a scarier and more threatening figure that would follow the saint. Usually, this figure would be represented by someone in fur clothes, with horns, and with a mask or a painted face. Depending on the region and country the identity of this dark companion varied.

In Austria, he was our demon Krampus

In Germany, he was a scary man called Knecht Ruprecht.

In French, he was Père Fouettard, Father Whipper, a dark figure connected to a butcher that killed three children in St. Nicholas’ legends.

In the low countries he was the controversial Zwarte Piet, where instead of a demon or a creepy man covered in soot, he’s a black servant boy, represented by a white person in blackface.

If you take Krampus' depiction at face value it’s easy to see him as a villain, since his and all the other companions’ shtick is to threat bad-behaved children with physical punishment and dragging them to a worse place. But if you look at the origins of the tradition you see a more interesting and much more nuanced view.

The people of the Alpine region and central Europe, in general, had a tradition of dressing in fur clothes and wearing wooden masks with horns. That was deeply connected with Frau Perchta, another dark yuletide figure from the Alpine region that was a goddess before Christianity arrived.

Perchten is the plural of Perchta. Originally, the word referred to female masks representing her, but the name come to refer to the animal masks worn in parades and festivals in the mountainous regions of Austria.

People would masquerade as these devilish figures and march in processions known as Perchtenlaufs. The Church didn’t like these creatures and tried many times to ban these practices, but due to the sparse population and the rugged environments within the region, the ban was useless.

Now depicted as a simple Christmas ornament in Scandinavian countries, the Yule Goat and similar other figures were probably offsprings of this tradition.

When the Christians showed up, small bits of these traditions remained, as an act of resistance, but little by little these people started adding Christian contexts to them, and Christians begrudgingly accepted them.

St. Nicholas is the patron saint of children. His saint day falls in early December, which helped strengthen his association with the Yuletide season. A seasonal play that spread throughout the Alpine regions was known as the Nikolausspiel, "Nicholas play". In these plays, St. Nick would make questions about morality and reward children for their scholarly efforts. Eventually the Perchtenlauf, in an attempt to pacify the Church, introduced Saint Nicholas and his set of good morals.

During the 17th century, in Sweden, it was the costume that during Christmas or the Epiphany (The Three King’s Day), young men in costumes would walk between houses singing songs, enacting plays, and performing pranks. The Yule Goat would often appear in these pranks, usually as a scary figure demanding gifts.

Eventually, these animal costumes soon became boogeyman figures that would follow St. Nicholas in punishing bad children. From place to place, the shape and identity of the companion changed, in some places staying a demon-like creature like Krampus, in others becoming fully human, like Zwarte Piet and Knecht Ruprecht.

It’s also important to point out that in some places, the goat creature absorbed St. Nicholas completely and became the gift-bringer himself. That’s the case with the Yule Goat. During the 19th century, men would often dress as goats to give gifts to their families. In Finland, to this day, the word for Santa, Joulupukki, translates to "Christmas goat" or "Yule Goat".

So why did all of these people dressed like goat monsters during wintertime?

Protection of course!

Thanks to electricity and heating we tend to forget how unforgiven winters in Northern Europe were. Winter was considered a time of darkness and death, and similar to Halloween, there was this belief that during winter the barrier between the worlds weakened. It was believed that ghosts and other evil spirits and entities could come to our world. There were several stories about entire spectral legions bewitching and spiriting away people in the dead of night. People dressed in these masks and costumes to scare these evil spirits.

In the 16th century, the Perchten took two main forms: Schönperchten, "beautiful Perchten", or the Schiachperchten, "ugly Perchten”. The beautiful Perchten came during the twelve nights of Christmas and festivals to bring luck and wealth to the people. The ugly Perchten had fangs, tusks, and horse tails that were used to drive out demons and ghosts. Men dressed as the ugly Perchten during this time and went from house to house driving out bad spirits.

The Norwegian had the tradition of “Julebukking” or more correctly, “to go julebukk” (Gå julebukk). One man or many men from the community would dress in a goat mask and fur cape to represent the ghosts of a winter night. After that, they would go “trick or treating” from door-to-door receiving gifts from the towns folk to thank them for protection and keeping the winter ghosts at bay

Today, in some parts of Finland, the custom persists of people performing in goat costumes in return for leftover Christmas food.

From the Smithsonian Magazine: A man dressed in a traditional Perchten costume and mask performs during a Perchten festival in the western Austrian village of Kappl, November 13, 2015. Each year in November and January, people in the western Austria regions dress up in Perchten (also known in some regions as Krampus or Tuifl) costumes and parade through the streets to perform a 1,500 year-old pagan ritual to disperse the ghosts of winter. (DOMINIC EBENBICHLER/Reuters/Corbis)

Krampus and all the other Christmas goats aren’t evil. They are wild, but not evil. They aren’t even demons, that’s part of the Christianization and the demonization of them. In the proper context of their cultures, they are defenders of people, having their origins in a tradition that consists of scaring away malevolent winter spirits.

The idea of Krampus as the last remnant of a pagan world, protecting people from evil spirits that the modern world forgot existed, to me, sounds much more original than another cheap Christmas horror movie where Krampus is the bad guy.

@ariel-seagull-wings @thealmightyemprex @amalthea9 @tamisdava2