Rarely do I repost something, but for Belsnickle I am more that glad to do so.
But "everything olde is new again!" Enjoy and make Merry.
Belsnickle day, formidable and and gruff, and certainly not a Jolly old
Elf, he would arrive to the ringing of sleigh bells, and if your
homework was done, you were a good child, and knew all your prayers, you
might get an orange and some chocolate. Otherwise it was coal and
switches, and if you were really bad, you could be carried off in
Belsnickles huge burlap sack.
Belsnickle can be more like St. Nicholas, the kindly bishop, who
provided dowries for the 3 daughters of a poor man, by placing bags of
coins in their stockings that had been hung by the fire to dry. This
Belsnickle delivers shoes or socks filled with goodies, to all the good
children,
Naughty children were simply ignored.
Near Philadelphia Penn, Belsnickle might appear of Christmas Eve or any
or all evenings between then and Twelfth Night. Belsnickle would be
dressed in old sacks , rags or even Paperbags, faces blackened with coal
or mud, they would start shortly after sunset and go from house to
house, brandishing a bundle of switches. Wherever they were welcomed in
they would toss candies and other goodies onto the floor, but woe to
any child who grabbed for these goodies before the Belsnickle left, as
they would feel the sting of those switches. many families would treat
the Belsnickle to food and drink, even alcohol. this stort of Christmas
time "trick or treating " went on until midnight. Often Belsnickles
traveled in groups from farm to farm making merriment
-photo by Sunflowers and Dragonflies
There is also the uniquely American Belsnickle, covered in furs and
looking like and old fur trapper. He often traveled with a side kick who
told jokes and sang, When Belsnickle arrived at the home he would
announce his presence by rapping on the window or ring a cow bell. Once
inside the children would gather around and recite their prayers, ABCs
or addition and subtraction tables. The children who recited would be
given goodies and gifts from Belsnickles mysterious burlap sack.
