Creepy Christmas by https://padlet.com/jlmaynard/3vrh0u6778gp Bavaria's terrifying holiday traditions en-us 2019-11-25 00:38:07 UTC 2020-02-19 00:41:16 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet.net/icons/png/2603.png Perchtenlauf jlmaynard https://padlet.com/jlmaynard/3vrh0u6778gp/wish/415941749 In Bavaria, making masks and dressing up as a member of Frau Perchten's band of evil spirits has become tradition during the 12 days of Christmas.

Wooden masks are painted and decorated with horns and hair to represent these demons and often end up looking a lot like Krampus.

Some masks don't include ears so they are unable to hear their victims crying for help.

The masks can weigh over 60 pounds and are worn with costumes made of animal fur with bells attached. 

Residents of Alpine regions hold dances, parades, and other performances in these costumes in order to drive Perchta's evil spirits away and clear a path for good fortune to find them in the new year

(The video linked is a Euronews clip covering a Bavarian Perchtenlauf. This video is in german)
]]> 2019-11-25 00:49:01 UTC https://padlet.com/jlmaynard/3vrh0u6778gp/wish/415941749 Frau Perchta jlmaynard https://padlet.com/jlmaynard/3vrh0u6778gp/wish/415952098 Perchten originates from the legend of Frau Perchta.

In the folklore of Bavaria and Austria, Perchta was said to roam the countryside at midwinter, and to enter homes during the twelve days between Christmas and Epiphany (especially on the Twelfth Night). 

She would know whether the children and young servants of the household had behaved well and worked hard all year. If they had, they might find a small silver coin the next day, in a shoe or pail. 

If they had not, she would slit their bellies open, remove their stomach and guts, and stuff the hole with straw and pebbles. 

She was particularly concerned to see that girls had spun the whole of their allotted portion of flax or wool during the year. She would also slit people's bellies open and stuff them with straw if they ate something on the night of her feast day, other than the traditional meal of fish and gruel.

(The video linked gives more detail on the tradition. This one is in english)]]> 2019-11-25 01:33:01 UTC https://padlet.com/jlmaynard/3vrh0u6778gp/wish/415952098 Welcome!! jlmaynard https://padlet.com/jlmaynard/3vrh0u6778gp/wish/415955105 Welcome to my padlet. Here, you will find different information detailing the creepy Weihnachten traditions in Bavaria and parts of Austria (specifically Perchtenlauf and figures featured in a Perchtenlauf).

Happy Holidays!! ]]> 2019-11-25 01:46:24 UTC https://padlet.com/jlmaynard/3vrh0u6778gp/wish/415955105 Perchten jlmaynard https://padlet.com/jlmaynard/3vrh0u6778gp/wish/415955984 A horrible group of evil spirits called Perchten are under the control of Frau Perchta and she leads them around as she flies across the mountains and plains of Eastern Europe. While she lets this pack of demons do whatever they want to the humans that have behaved badly, it is said she protects the people who are good by keeping her hoard away from them. Masks and costumed dancers were utilized by villagers in an effort to keep these evil creatures away. Many members of her group are believed to be the spirits of children who were not baptized before they died and thus unable to enter either heaven or hell. It's possible the claim that the children were unbaptized was suggested by Christians in order to explain Perchta's appearance with kids who weren't hers.

(This video shows how they explain to children the perchten are not real and just people dressed in costume. This video is in german.)]]> 2019-11-25 01:49:51 UTC https://padlet.com/jlmaynard/3vrh0u6778gp/wish/415955984 More videos jlmaynard https://padlet.com/jlmaynard/3vrh0u6778gp/wish/415956955 2019-11-25 01:54:03 UTC https://padlet.com/jlmaynard/3vrh0u6778gp/wish/415956955