The story of old Saint Nic and his reindeers is lovely and all but like everything in life, there has to be some balance.
While the threat of coal filled stockings can scare many a child during the festive season, some far more terrifying tactics were put into place across the globe when it comes to ensuring the young family members were good boys and girls at Christmas time. But they were just myths and legends, right?
Well, depending on what you believe, a number of a Christmas myths, monsters and legends still exists across Europe and beyond, with ghouls, child eating hags and even witches raining their merry Hell on those who did not abide by the rules of Christmas.
While we hope you never have to meet them, here are 10 of the scariest Christmas monsters you could bump into this December, if you’re unlucky.
1. Frau Percha
Frau Percha is famous in German Christmas folklore - and you do not want to encounter her this festive season if you have been particularly bad. Said to have one large foot, Frau Percha will enter the homes of families searching for children who have been good. If they have she will give them a silver coin for when they awake. However, if they had been bad the consequences were much worse as she would slit their bellies open, remove their stomach and guts, and stuff the hole with straw and pebbles Photo: Creative Commons 2.0
2. Hans Trapp
Hans Trapp, aka Hans von Trotha, is most well known in France and is quite frankly terrifying. Born in the 1400s, Trapp was said to be a rich, merciless man that terrorised the people of Alsace. His desire for power led him to make deals with the devil. Banished by the Pope after hearing this news, he relocated to Germany where he developed a taste for human flesh, dressed as a Christmas scarecrow and waited for his next victim. One story, in particular, describes an instance in which he murdered a child, cut him up into tiny pieces, and cooked and ate his flesh. Ew. Photo: Creative Commons 2.0
3. Kallikantzaroi
The Kallikantzaroi are a group of malevolent goblins and demons from Greece. They live underground and, legend tells us that each December the '12 days of Christmas' would compel the demons to rise and wander the Earth. Their mission was to to steal any child born over the 12 days of Christmas and turn them into a demon similar to themselves. Families would fend them off by binding their newborn babies in straw and garlic. Photo: Creative Commons 2.0
4. Krampus
The most famous Christmas monster of all - Krampus. He even had a move made back in 2015. He is very hairy and has the cloven hooves and horns of a goat, complete with a long pointed tongue. The legend says he only appears during the festive season to scare children who have misbehaved. Photo: Canva Pro/Getty Images