Belsnickel - wikipedia Belsnickel This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( June 2017 ) Belsnickel ( also Belschnickel, Belznickle, Belznickel, Pelznikel, Pelznickel, from pelzen ( or belzen, German for to wallop or to drub ) and Nickel being a hypocorism of the given name Nikolaus ) is a crotchety, fur - clad Christmas gift - bringer figure in the folklore of the Palatinate region of southwestern Germany along the Rhine, the Saarland, and the Odenwald area of Baden - Württemberg. The figure is also preserved in Pennsylvania Dutch communities. Contents 1 Cultural perspective 1.1 Pennsylvania 1.2 Indiana 2 In popular culture 3 See also 4 References 5 External links Cultural perspective Modern day Belsnickel in his travel attire on his way to scare children in the schools in Norwich, New York. December 2012. Belsnickel is related to other companions of Saint Nicholas in the folklore of German - speaking Europe. He may have been based on another older German myth, Knecht Ruprecht, a servant of Saint Nicholas, and a character from northern Germany. Unlike those figures, Belsnickel does not accompany Saint Nicholas but instead visits alone and combines both the threatening and the benign aspects which in other traditions are divided between the Saint Nicholas and the companion figure. Belsnickel is a man wearing furs and sometimes a mask with a long tongue. He is typically very ragged and disheveled. He wears torn, tattered, and dirty clothes, and he carries a switch in his hand with which to beat naughty children, but also pocketsful of cakes, candies, and nuts for good children. In Lower Austria he is sometimes followed by a creature, called Krampus, covered with bells and dragging chains. Krampus is a wild, horned figure akin to the devil. A first - hand 19th - century account of the `` Beltznickle '' tradition in Allegany County, Maryland, can be found in Brown 's Miscellaneous Writings, a collection of essays by Jacob Brown ( born 1824 ). Writing of a period around 1830, Brown says, `` we did not hear of '' Santa Claus. Instead, the tradition called for a visit by a different character altogether : 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 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. Pennsylvania The Belsnickel character originated in the Palatinate. When people immigrated to Pennsylvania, they brought their German traditions with them. Belsnickel was known in Pennsylvania in the early 1800s. Amongst the Pennsylvania Germans, Belsnickel is the character who visits homes prior to Christmas to check up on the behavior of the children. The traditional Belsnickel showed up at houses 1 -- 2 weeks before Christmas and often created fright because he always knew exactly which of the children misbehaved. He would rap on the door or window with his stick and often the children would have to answer a question for him or sing some type of song. In exchange he would toss candies onto the floor. If the children jumped too quick for the treats, they may end up getting struck with Belsnickel 's switch. An 1853 article in a British magazine describing Pennsylvanian customs refers to `` Pelsnichol, or Nicholas with the fur, alluding to the dress of skins in which he is said to be clad. Some make Pelsnichol identical with Krishkinkle, but the more general opinion is that they are two personages, one the rewarder of the good, the other the punisher of the bad. '' According to this article, Pelsnichol merely leaves a birch rod in the stockings of naughty children. There are two versions of Belsnickel, the rural and the urban characters. Both are described in the book, Christmas in Pennsylvania : a folk cultural study, by Alfred L. Shoemaker and Don Yoder. The tradition fell into decline toward the end of the nineteenth century, but has seen a revival in recent years. Indiana The tradition of Belsnickel was brought to Indiana by immigrants from the Palatinate. His garb could vary from one locality to another. He might wear a long, black or brown coat or robe, held together at the waist with a rope, and a fur cap or bear skin hat, decorated with bells. In this branch of the tradition, the father or other older male relative was often `` busy working outside '' or had to see to some matter elsewhere in the house when Pelznickel ( or Belsnickel ) arrived. `` Belsnickling '' or `` Klausentreiben, '' was the `` running '' of groups of young men or youth dressed in false faces and fantastic costumes on `` Belsnickle Night '', the eve of the Feast of St. Nicholas '' ( St. Nikolaustag ), and was the occasion of good - natured boisterousness. Young men, dressed in skins and furs, would move through the streets of town or village, rattling chains and bells. The tradition also exists in parts of Newfoundland, the prairie provinces of Canada and some communities in the Brazilian state of Santa Catarina. In popular culture A writer to the letters column of The Times refers to an illustration of `` Pelz - Nickel '' in a book by English author Harriet Myrtle, The Little Sister ( 1851 ). German illustrator H.J. Schneider depicts him `` in a long cloak, pointed hood, a fur round his neck, with a long white beard, and a big bag. '' An episode entitled `` Dwight Christmas '' ( Season 9 Episode 9 ) of the American version of the workplace comedy The Office featured Dwight K. Schrute dressed as Belsnickel. Stoudt 's Brewing Company of Adamstown, Pennsylvania, brews a seasonal dark lager called `` Belsnickle ''. Otto 's Pub and Brewery of State College, Pennsylvania, brews a `` Belsnickle '' ale. The antagonist of the John R. Neill book The Scalawagons of Oz, the thirty - fifth entry in the Oz series created by L. Frank Baum, is a mysterious monstrosity called Bell - snickle. It first appears as `` a large bluish - green object, flat as a buckwheat cake, and rolling along on its edge like a cartwheel. '' The creature does have arms and legs, as well as facial features ; it wears bells on its ears, explaining at least one portion of its name. The creature has the egotism and petulance of a spoiled child. See also Krampus Le Père Fouettard Zwarte Piet References Jump up ^ Schunk, Gunther. `` Pelzmärtel und Herrscheklaus '' Jump up ^ `` Belsnickel '', Indobase ^ Jump up to : Toland, Bill. `` Meet Belsnickel, the Counter Claus '', Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, November 25, 2012 ^ Jump up to : Reichmann, Ruth. `` Belsnickel in Indiana '', Indiana German Heritage Society Newsletter, Vol. 18, No. 1, winter 2002 - 3 Jump up ^ Jacob Brown, Brown 's Miscellaneous Writings, Printed by J.J. Miller ( Cumberland, Maryland 1896 ), page 41. Jump up ^ Lauer - Williams, Kathy. `` The history of Belsnickel : Santa 's cranky cousin '', The Morning Call, Allentown, Pennsylvania, November 29, 2013 Jump up ^ Kline, Dave. `` Yes, Helen there is a Belsnickel '', Berks County, Reading Eagle Retrieved January 31, 2013 Jump up ^ ' Notes and Queries ', volume 8 ( 217 ), 24 December 1853, p. 615 The article is signed ' Uneda ', one of the pen - names used by contributor William Duane ( 1808 - 1882 ) of Philadelphia. Jump up ^ Sociedade do Pelznickel Jump up ^ Barron, Hilda. `` Father Christmas. '' The Times ( London, England ) 23 December 1942 : p. 5. Jump up ^ `` Belsnickel Lager '', Stoudt 's Brewing Company, Adamstown, Pennsylvania Jump up ^ `` Belsnickle ale '', Otto 's Pub and Brewery, State College, Pennsylvania External links http://pelznickel.blogspot.com.br/ Christmas Christmas Eve Children 's Day Boxing Day Nochebuena Saint Nicholas Day St. Stephen 's Day Sol Invictus Yule In Christianity Biblical Magi Adoration of the Magi Adoration of the Shepherds Advent Angel Gabriel Annunciation Annunciation to the shepherds Baptism of the Lord Bethlehem Christingle Christmastide Epiphany Herod the Great Jesus Joseph Mary Massacre of the Innocents flight into Egypt Nativity Fast Nativity of Jesus in art in later culture Nativity scene Saint Nicholas Star of Bethlehem Twelfth Night In folklore Badalisc La Befana Belsnickel Caganer Christkind Ded Moroz Elves Father Christmas Grýla Jack Frost Joulupukki Knecht Ruprecht Korvatunturi Krampus Mikulás Miner 's figure Mrs. Claus Nisse / Tomte North Pole Old Man Winter Olentzero Père Fouettard Père Noël Rudolph the Red - Nosed Reindeer Saint Lucy Santa 's reindeer Santa 's workshop Sinterklaas Tió de Nadal Vertep Yule Cat Yule Lads Zwarte Piet Gift - bringers Saint Nicholas Santa Claus List of Christmas gift - bringers by country Traditions Advent calendar Advent candle Advent wreath Boar 's Head Feast Candle arches Cards Carols by Candlelight Cavalcade of Magi Crackers Decorations Events and celebrations Feast of the Seven Fishes Flying Santa Google Santa Tracker Hampers Las Posadas Letters Lights Lord of Misrule Markets Meals and feasts Moravian star Nine Lessons and Carols NORAD Tracks Santa Nutcrackers dolls Ornaments Parades list Piñatas Pyramids Räuchermann Seals Secret Santa Spanbaum Stamps Stockings Tree Twelve Days Wassailing Windows Yule Goat Yule log By country Australia and New Zealand Denmark Germany Hawaii Hungary Iceland Indonesia Ireland Mexico Norway Philippines Poland Romania Russia Scotland Serbia Sweden Ukraine Music Carols list Hit singles UK Hit singles US Music books Carols for Choirs The Oxford Book of Carols The New Oxford Book of Carols Piae Cantiones Other media Films Poetry `` Old Santeclaus with Much Delight '' `` A Visit from St. Nicholas '' Television specials Yule Log In modern society Advent Conspiracy Black Friday ( partying ) Black Friday ( shopping ) Bronner 's Christmas Wonderland Christmas club Christmas creep Christmas Day ( Trading ) Act 2004 Christmas Lectures Christmas Mountains Christmas truce Controversies Cyber Monday Economics Giving Tuesday El Gordo Holiday season In July In August Leon Day NBA games NFL games Puritan New England American Civil War Post-War United States Running of the Santas SantaCon Santa 's Candy Castle Small Business Saturday Super Saturday Virginia O'Hanlon White Christmas Winter festivals WWE Tribute to the Troops Xmas Food and drink Dinner Joulupöytä Julebord Kūčios Réveillon Twelve - dish supper Smörgåsbord Wigilia Sweets bûche de Noël Cake Candy cane Cookies Fruitcake Gingerbread Kourabiedes Melomakarono Mince pie Pavlova Pecan pie Pumpkin pie Pudding Rosca de reyes Szaloncukor Turrón Soup Menudo Sauce Cranberry sauce Beverages Apple cider Champurrado Eggnog Mulled wine Smoking Bishop Ponche crema Dumpling Hallaca Tamale Meat Ham Roast goose Romeritos Turkey Stuffing Portal Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Belsnickel&oldid=817772033 '' Categories : Christmas characters German folklore Pennsylvania German culture Christmas in Germany Hidden categories : Articles needing additional references from June 2017 All articles needing additional references All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from January 2017 Talk Contents About Wikipedia Dansk Deutsch Nederlands Norsk Edit links This page was last edited on 30 December 2017, at 13 : 39. 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Question: what did dwight dress up as for christmas
Answer: Belsnickel