Knecht Ruprecht
A companion of Santa who appears on Christmas Eve - He has a long beard, wears fur, or is covered in pea straw.
Ruprecht is another word for the devil
Much like other Christmas traditions in Germany, he is a dark figure that plays against Santa's light.
Knecht Ruprecht sometimes carries a long staff and a bag of ashes and wears little bells on his clothes.
sometimes he rides on a white horse, and sometimes he is accompanied by fairies, or men with blackened faces, dressed as old women
According to tradition, Knecht Ruprecht asks children whether they can pray, if they can, the receive apples, nuts and gingerbread. If they cannot, he beats the children with his bag of ashes!
Researched and written by Allen Tiller
First published 2012 ©
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