December 14, 2015 at 4:19 p.m.
Woman's group learns about the merry and the scary Santa Claus
Woman's group learns about the merry and the scary Santa Claus
By Kayla Thomason-
Earnest Schluter put together a presentation for the club on the many versions of Santa Claus in different world cultures.
He said putting the slide show together was a wonderful educational experience for him.
While he knew there were other versions of Santa, he said he didn't know about Santa's companions who deal with the naughty children in ways which make coal in the stocking seem like a gold bar in comparison.
"The things about the mean people that sometimes travel with Santa (were interesting)," he said. "If the kids aren't well behaved the kids get punished fairly severly and I didn't know that went on," Schluter said. "I had heard the thing about people getting coal and stuff for Christmas if they were naughty but I didn't know anything about (the legends) where they beat the kids and threw them in the river in a burlap bag."
The darker companions of Santa include Krampus, Belsnickel, or Le Père Fouettard. They typically carry a switch or rod and a sack with them and their appearances are sinister.
Krampus is the most well known of the three and is often found in Germanic cultures. He favors chains and birch branches to discipline children and he is the one Schluter referenced as throwiing children in the river, according to Schluter.
Belsnickel is like Krampus only a bit nicer. He will deliver coal or use a switch on the bad children.
Le Père Fouettard is known throughout Europe but is more common in France. He is ornery and ruthlessly delivers punishment to the children that have misbehaved, Schluter said.
On a lighter note, Santa's "suit" changes depending on which part of the world he is visiting.
In Scotland, Santa wears a kilt and carries a bagpipe.
In Russia, Santa is called Ded Moroz, which translates to Father Frost, and is dressed in an elegant red robe with white accent designs and a matching cap. He is accompanied by his granddaughter, the Snow Maiden, who wears silvery blue robes and a matching cap.
In Australia, Santa takes to the waves and surfs a bit.
"I love (presenting to the group) and I think they enjoyed it," Schluter said.
Mary Fortier has been a member of the club for about 15 years. She thought the presentation was very entertaining.
"It was interesting to see the different Santas from around the world," she said. "I wasn't aware of all the different attire that all the different countries are using."
Fortier was shocked at the ruthlessness of Santa's helpers.
"(They were) pretty scary," she said. "I didn't realize how mean they could be with their whips and lashes. I had just heard about coal but not the other nasty things for the nasty children."
She thinks it's good that the U.S. version of Santa doesn't have a helper that disciplines the bad children. She said she also enjoyed the brief video clip of people around the world saying "Merry Christmas."
"I'm glad they're saying 'Merry Christmas' because I think there's too much emphasis on 'happy holidays' and gifts and we need to remember the true meaning of Christmas is Jesus' birth and saying 'Merry Christmas,'" she said.
Victoria Kalkofen has been with the club for more than 10 years.
"(The presentation) was kind of cute," she said. "Don't forget what the reason for the season is," she added.
Sue Bessert, president of the Rhinelander Woman's Club, thought the presentation was fun.
The Woman's Club is an international program and she was pleased to learn about how other culture's interpret Santa. She also thought about her ancestors from Belgium and the Netherlands and their particular Santa stories.
Some of Bessert's relatives are going to Japan to see Japan's Santa.
"I think we are all part of a bigger thing and to see it we just have to keep opening our eyes," she said. "In the women's column that we read every meeting it talks about being respectful and openminded and it can be so easy just to fall into our own little Santa that we picture in our head, but to see the world in a different way and through one symbol like that, my heart feels real good about it."
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