Johnny_Rotten wrote:

We celebrated Krampus rumpusly in our home as our housemate was Czech. (H1B waiver visa, doing the 6 figure tech jobs for large Bay Area corporations that Americans are not willing to do.)

Sorry, JR, but that kind of work is so beneath me.

Last edited by Taint (2008-12-15 03:18:27)

Odin was sometimes recorded, at the native Germanic holiday of Yule, as leading a great hunting party through the sky.[13] Two books from Iceland, the Poetic Edda, compiled in the 13th century from earlier sources, and the Prose Edda, written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson, describe Odin as riding an eight-legged horse named Sleipnir that could leap great distances, giving rise to comparisons to Santa Claus's reindeer.[14] Further, Odin was referred to by many names in Skaldic poetry, some of which describe his appearance or functions; these include Síðgrani,[15] Síðskeggr,[16] Langbarðr,[17] (all meaning "long beard") and Jólnir[18] ("Yule figure").

According to Phyllis Siefker, children would place their boots, filled with carrots, straw, or sugar, near the chimney for Odin's flying horse, Sleipnir, to eat. Odin would then reward those children for their kindness by replacing Sleipnir's food with gifts or candy.[19] This practice survived in Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands after the adoption of Christianity and became associated with Saint Nicholas as a result of the process of Christianization and can be still seen in the modern practice of the hanging of stockings at the chimney in some homes.