Der Belsnickel of Pennsylvania Dutch

by Lovely on December 18, 2008

santa under cloche
Perhaps it’s my German and Pennsylvania Dutch heritage that draws me to these rather stern versions of St. Nick.
santa chocolate mold

Whether a chocolate mold under a cloche …

hand carved wooden santa

or a detailed hand carving from a thick block of wood, I simply love the old world charm of him — the precurser to our modern jolly Santa Claus.

“Nicholas in furs” is a rough translation of the word Belsnickel. Brought to America — Lanscaster County specifically — by German immigrants, it was usually an elder of the family who dressed up as Der Belsnickel.  Who better to know who in the family deserves a lump of coal, hmmmm?

Der Belsnickel would have absolutely no qualms leaving a lump of coal for very bad children … and sweets and nuts for good children.

{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }

Prof.Helen December 12, 2011 at 8:26 pm

I remember Der Belsnickel from my childhood in Philadelphia when he accompanied Santa Claus to our house on Christmas morning. He looked an awful lot like our neighbor Mr. Yost.

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