The Belsnickel
In old Pennsylvania, a figure in ragged fur and a mask knocked on the door before Christmas, carrying sweets and a switch. Children had to prove they'd been good.
What was reported
The Belsnickel is a Christmas gift-bringer from the German-speaking areas of the Rhineland, brought to America by Pennsylvania Dutch immigrants in the 1700s. Dressed in shabby furs and old clothes, with a mask or a dirty face, he would visit homes a week or two before Christmas.
He carried sweets and nuts in his pockets, and a switch or stick. Children had to answer his questions or recite something to show they'd behaved. Good children got treats; naughty ones got a tap of the switch.
Explanations offered
The Belsnickel combines the kind gift-giver and the scary punisher in a single figure. He was largely replaced by Santa Claus in the 1800s, but survives in some communities, and became better known after appearing in the American TV series The Office.
- When
- Brought to America in the 1700s
- Where
- Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, USA
- Witnesses
- Pennsylvania Dutch communities
- Status
- Folk custom
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.
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