Dark Christmas

Among the tinsel and mistletoe, you can find some pretty weird stuff to add a splash of gothic fantasy to the festive season. These are our favourite traditions from across Europe.

KRAMPUS

Via squaremeal.co.uk

Hairy, winged, horned and cloven hooved, the Krampus is alpine Europe's evil Santa.

Like St Nick, he carries a sack, but this one's for bagging young children. Young men mark these happy events on 5 December, taking to the streets to frighten the youngsters with rusty chains, birch sticks and, er, bells.

13 YULE LADS

Via squaremeal.co.uk

Nippers in Iceland have it even tougher, spending the season on the lookout for rampaging Yule Lads. Named for their favourite pastimes – think Sheep Harasser, Sausage Swiper and Doorway Sniff er – these guys are in charge of

handing out presents. Been naughty? Your gifts will mostly be rotting potatoes.

YULE GOAT

Via squaremeal.co.uk

The Swedish town of Gävle has spent half a

century at festive war with itself. In the blue corner, civic

authorities, who build a 40ft-tall straw goat in the town square each year. In the red corner, students and other ne’er-do-wells, who like to burn it down. So far the arsonists are winning: they’ve razed it to the ground 27 times since 1966.

CAGA TIÓ

Via squaremeal.co.uk

Even Christmas goes a bit Dali-esque in Catalonia, where they feed and water their caga tió (literally ‘shitting log’) through December until Christmas Eve, when it’s beaten with sticks and sung at until it expels candies and nuts. When it’s done, it drops a salt herring or maybe a garlic bulb.

LA BEFANA

Via squaremeal.co.uk

Italian cousin to Russia’s Baboushka, this old hag arrives on a broomstick to deliver candy to the good kids and coal to the bad. She does at least sweep the floor before she goes.