Sheesh! I didn’t mean to be gone so long, but it’s been a little busy around here, as I’m sure it has been for you too. When I realized the date this morning (oh.my.gosh, Dec. 5th already!) it made me think of St. Nicholas Day in Europe.
Years ago, when we lived in Germany, our battalion organized a ski trip to Berchtesgaden on the 5th and 6th of December. We were all innocent young American tourists, wandering the streets of the little village and all of a sudden these big straw men appeared and they started chasing people and hitting them with switches. We were told that they were “Grumps” and their job was to go around and beat the bad spirits out of children so that St. Nicholas could visit them that evening and leave presents in their shoes. There was a lot of mayhem and shrieks and laughter. One of the girls I was with was “switched” and she said it really hurt — these guys weren’t playing around! I found a few pictures on google to show you what they look like.
I can’t really find any truth to what I was told on google. They’re really called Krampuss and, according to the descriptions I found with these pictures, they are unmarried men, dressed in straw or skins with wooden masks or skins over their heads and large cow-bells tied around their hips (so you know they’re coming!) and they follow Saint Nicholas from house to house on December 5 and 6 every year to bring luck to the good and punish the idle.
It was totally accidental that we happened to be in Bavaria on the same day that the grumps appeared, but it’s a really fun memory for me. And, I think it’s accidental that I should remember it today, when I’ve been feeling more than a little grumpy. This is shaping up to be a weird holiday season for us this year (for starters, GASP! — it looks like their won’t be a gingerbread competition because we can’t get all these grown kids and their busy schedules coordinated) and I’m having more than a little trouble getting into the holiday spirit.
Not to fear though. I have two things set to turn it all around. First, did you see this?
Yipee!!! I won a $100 gift certificate from Minted and Amy! It’s very exciting — Minted has so many beautiful things that I’m having trouble choosing! Thank You, Thank You, Thank You SOOOO much Amy!
And second, I’m going to spend the day Christmas shopping and see if I can kick the grumps to the curb. I hope you’ve had a better start to your holiday prep and you’re well on your way!
XOXO,
Anna
my daughter loves the stories of Krampuss you just told and she has been sharing them with her great niece. I used to celebrate St. Nick in Wisconsin but most people don’t celebrate it any more or even have heard of it!
I never heard of those Grumps before! Imagine!
Today families celebrate Sinterklaas and tonight it’s ‘pakjesavond’ (parcel evening). We haven’t been celebrating Sinterklaas for ages, but my Mum who is 93 now, still does. She can’t go shopping anymore, so I’ve been acting like an elve and helped to buy the presents and wrap them all up. The mister and I will have some ‘boterletter’ and chocolate tonight though! I’ve always really loved to celebrate Sinterklaas, especially the part that you can make fun of one another and make ‘surprises’ and write rhymes. It feels so much better then putting gifts under a Christmas Tree.
I hope the Christmas shopping will help you feel a little less grumpy!
Oh Anna! I’m sorry to hear the holiday tradition has been changed for this year. It gets harder to maintain as the kids get older. Boo!!! But you go out there and have a great time shopping! Don’t forget to get some great things for yourself too! ???? and if you see any Grumps, just sing something and they won’t be grumpy anymore!
i did see your win Anna, congratulations! and that is so odd that you had these experience in Bavaria…when my bestie and I were traveling thru Europe after college we happened to be in some Germany town on St. Nicholas day and the town had the most wonderful parade of sorts…with cows and bells and St. Nick himself! thanksfully none of these ruffians!! it was so enchanting!
those grumps are awesome! i want one around all the time to smack the ppl around me, ;).
i’m so sorry about the gingerbread…. can you do it anyway, with whoever is there? even if it’s two groups? i think you should keep it going. you owe it to us. bahaha. i just don’t want your tradition to stop – SOMEONE has to have family traditions!
and how cool is it that YOU won the contest from Amazing Amy??!! I can’t think of anyone who i would have rather won that you.
Get to shopping missy.
:waves madly
wouldn’t you know it – FINALLY something that i would be totally qualified for, but i just had to be born pink instead of blue – wah wah wah!!! being a Grump would come so easily to me – especially the cow bells…
no gingerbread competition just adds to the Sad … more wah wah wah…
every time we go shopping, Auntia adds another sumpin to the cart so she can decorate HER gingerbread house … yeah, well – we’ll see – the halloween gingerbread ended up in the freezer cuz halloween came and went with no haunted gingerbread house – ha ha ha!
I’d never heard about the Krampuss before. I think we need one to come visit our house sometimes around this time of year! We lived in Wisconsin for several years when our kids were small. Having no idea about St. Nicks night, they were so disappointed when all the rest of the kids came to school talking about their presents:(
I’m going to miss your post about the Gingerbread competition! Maybe you can just do your own to share with your readers!!
Enjoy your shopping day!
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooo!!!! Tell me it ain’t soooooooo!!! I look forward to seeing the gingerbread house competition every year. Boooooooo but totally understand.
I’m having a bit of the Grumps myself this year. You are in good company.
Aww, that’s a shame about the gingerbread house making competition not happening this year. Maybe you could just do it with whoever is available? I hope you were able to get some decent shopping done. I have moments of panic when I realise how really close Christmas is! Eeeek! :oD
Hope you are feeling much better soon! Have fun shopping!!!
WHAT??????? NO gingerbread competition?????? Noooooooo!! It’s the highlight of my year, reading about and looking at your wonderful gingerbread creations! You tell those children from me to get their acts together! Er, please!
Alrighty then, now I am grumpy No pie pictures and no Gingerbread either! What is this world coming to? You are so busy I don’t know how you do it. Have been shopping and Merry Christmas xoxoxo
I meant have fun shopping… You would think I would proof read. Got a cat laying all over me at the moment
So sorry about the cancelled house competition. Even I was looking forward to it (well, to your photos). I hate that my kids have their own lives! Not really, but sometimes I wish I was in charge. Haha. I can’t get my “blog” on at all. Too many things to do. Loved this post. How have I never heard of this?
If that straw man jumped out and started hitting me I’d be terrified, or I hit him back, maybe both. Pretty freaky but really interesting.
Sorry to hear that the gingerbread competition isn’t on this year. Maybe your children will read this post about the Krampuss and change their minds.
Your win sounds super duper, have fun shopping!
I saw your win and did a fist pump for you. Congrats! BTW, Amy’s winner announcement looked VERY cool with your name in it.
I’ll miss the gingerbread competition this year too. Those adult kids! Our boy, er man, has advised us East Coast parental units that he is staying in Seattle. Not moving back ever. We suspected it, with his CA honey, but it makes me grumpy too.
All the best to you with changing traditions.
Don’t we all just hate change! Especially when its around our holiday traditions..sigh. 2 of my 3 kidlet family units moved to bay area in last few years. Last year they all made it down for Christmas day and I could pretend things weren’t ever going to change. Not true, this year we are headed up there the weekend before and one family will fly off to NY. The other will probably not come down a few days later since they are moving into a new house a few weeks into the new year. So it will all fall to my son and his wonderful wife to make it over for brunch and stockings, nothing like putting the pressure on. Yep, I’m grumpy too.
Congrats!! I just saw your name on her site. Wow, how fun. !!
Your grump story is so interesting, thanks for sharing it.
What a cool story and how interesting that you experienced the Grumps firsthand. When our kids were little, we celebrated St. Nick’s Day. It was a nice way to begin the Christmas season. Hoping you will start feeling a little more festive soon.
Happy St. Nicolas day to you too! I guess the traditions vary from region to region. In our region of Switzerland we have “Schmutzli” and he’s Santa’s helper. He too carries switches for naughty children (but luckily he doesn’t chase anybody). Sorry that you can’t get your kids organised for your traditional gingerbread house competition this year. I know exactly how you feel. A couple of years ago my daughter wasn’t even able to come home for Christmas. It’s just not the same, is it? And congratulations to a fantastic win.
Congrats on the win Anna! Have fun shopping. Awww, Sorry to hear you wont be doing the gingerbread comp. I look forward to it everywhere! LOL. Have a great day!
No gingerbread competition!? it means it will be doubly special next time!
I’m off to shop today and get the spirit – you will too I’m sure of it.
I loved the info on the Grumps – who interesting! I love traditions.
I hope you find your Christmas groove soon! Conratulations on your win!!
Hi Anna, you will just have to be like us – we won’t see Stuart and Alison on Christmas Day, but we will see them the weekend before, so on the Sunday morning, we will have Buck’s Fizz while we open our presents, and then have our “Christmas breakfast”. So just have your Gingerbread House competition on a day when you can all get together – it’s the occasion which matters, not the date!!
Have fun shopping – I will be heading for the shops on Tuesday to buy lots of lovely things for Malcolm after I have endured nasty horrid stuff at the dentist!!
Anne xoxo
I hope that the grumps have left you and that you are having a good time working out how to spend your gift certificate, how lovely was that! You could have a gingerbread competition with just you – and then you know you will win!! xx
Oh, Anna, I do love you! You are always telling me something I didn’t know, and incidentally giving me a good laugh. I’m glad there are no grumps chasing here! We are Christmas decorated and I always love seeing the tree and the lights dripping off the house, but “IT” hasn’t really hit me yet, meaning the Christmas spirit. I have confidence though. <3
I loved reading about the grumps! I hope you are feeling cheery and chirpy this week and free from grumps! I saw you were the lucky winner of the nana company giveaway…..so delighted for you, what a nice surprise!
Enjoy your week, Anna.
Helen xox
“We can’t get all these grown kids and their busy schedules coordinated”. Yup, same here. In fact apart from the youngest, who is still in residence, the other three and their partners will mostly be elsewhere the entire holiday. I am not feeling festive at all. I’m definitely the grump around here.
No wonder these men are single! LOL :)
I’m with you in the lack-of-Christmas mood Anna :/ – I’m trying to “wake up”
You should do your own ginger bread house contest ;)
Take care
Berglind
That is so interesting! I knew that Dec. 6th is St. Nicholas day and that is the day he brings presents to children (in Holland) but I didn’t know this part of the story.
Oh. My. Gosh!!! Today on General Hospital, the evil Dr. Obrecht insisted on changing the tradition of reading The Night Before Christmas to the children of the hospital staff members to her dressing up as and acting out the Krumpfus tale and scaring the tar out of the kids! I think she is supposed to be from Austria. Can you believe it?