Winter mythological beings
How many of these wintry beings have you heard of?
Befana
Origin: Italy
Relationships:
None to speak of; she’s generally a solitary figure.
Appearance:
La Befana is an older woman wearing a shawl over peasant’s clothing. Tuffs of grey hair peak out of the handkerchief that covers her head, and she carries a broomstick and sack or wicker basket. She’s sometimes dirty from chimney soot.
Additional information:
Think of her like the matronly-holiday-witch-Santa. La Befana leaves gifts or treats for good children—soot for the naughty—in shoes or stockings.
Sometimes her broom is used for flying, but it’s also used for sweeping her home.
The city of Urbania in Italy, where La Befana purportedly originates from, hosts a festival every year for Epiphany (holiday). On January 5th, La Befana greets children and often gives treats.
Grýla
Origin: Iceland
Relationships:
⟡ Lazy troll husband Leppalúði (previously married / widowed 1-2 times)
⟡ 8 - 20 children, although most settle on 13 sons. They’re known today as the Yule Lads.
⟡ Vicious pet cat aka Yule cat aka Jólakötturinn
Appearance:
Grýla’s appearance varies based on different folklore and interpretations, but she is considered to be a female ogre who wears human clothing.
Historically she’s depicted somewhere between an ogre and a human with hooves, tail, and horn. Varying descriptions give her 2-4 eyes, an abnormally long tongue, and fangs.
In modern mythology she resembles more closely a hideous human hag—hooked nose, hump-backed, scraggly hair—albeit much larger than the average human.
Additional information:
Better behave, children, or Grýla will eat you! Perhaps that’s what her long tongue is for…
Krampus
Origin: Central Europe
While Krampus is often considered a German figure in pop culture, he’s “celebrated” in many countries including, but not limited to, southern Germany, Tyrolean Italy, Austria, Switzerland, and even areas of Czechia, Hungary, and Slovenia.
Unfortunately, I didn’t see any Krampusse (yes, this is the plural form) at any Christmas markets in NRW.
The name likely originates from the German word “Krampen” or the Bavarian dialect “Krampn”.
Krampus is not to be confused with German companion figures Belsnickel or Knecht Ruprecht.
Relationships:
Controversially, some believe Krampus is the son of the Norse goddess Hel, who presides over realm of the dead.
Appearance:
He’s depicted as a half-goat, half-man with a long tongue, curling horns, tail, and fearsome fangs. Often he carries whips, chains, and bells.
Additional information:
Krampus is considered to be the antithesis to Saint Nicholas.
Naughty children beware on Krampusnacht (translation: Krampus Night). The night of December 5th is when Krampus chases ill-behaving children with whips, throws them into his burlap sack, and takes them to the underworld.
Krampuslauf (translation: Krampus Run) is a basically a parade of Krampusse, generally also taking place on Dec. 5th. Oftentimes the parade is filled with other people in demonic masks, acrobats, and a few Perchta (see below).
Perchta
Origin: Alpine regions
Currently, southern Germany, Tyrolean Italy, and Austria, but previously inlcuded the regions listed with Krampus.
She’s also known as Frau Perchta (Lady Perchta), Perchtel, Berchta.
Berchta is not the same as Holda.
Relationships:
None to speak of.
Appearance:
Perchten have two faces, one that is beautiful and one that is ugly, but in popular culture, mostly the “ugly” version is portrayed. The latter appears very similarly to Krampus—part-goat with horns, pointed tongue, fangs, and wearing bells and whips.
Additional information:
Perchta appears around the Twelve Nights of Christmas, but has her own day. Perchttag (Percht Day) takes place on January 5th, similar to Befana’s festival.
Unlike Befana or Krampus, who are fairly “good” and “bad”, Perchta’s two faces are associated with natural cycles (such as day and night, good and evil). Depending on the face, she may ward off evil or whip the lazy.
Yeti
aka Abominable Snowman (Western)
Origin: Himalayans
“Yeti” comes from the Sherpan dialect of Tibetan. Other Tibetan names for the Yeti translate into “wild human”, “snow man”, and “strong man”.
Yetis are not to be confused with Sasquatch aka Bigfoot.
Relationships:
The Yeti is considered to be a solitary creature, and as such, doesn’t have any suspected relationships.
Appearance:
In Tibetan iconography, Yetis are ape or primate-esque. Sometimes they also appear monkey-esque.
They stand roughly around six feet and can walk on either two or four legs. Some reports say the Yeti leaves bear-like footprints, while others say human-like.
Part-human, part-creature, overall ape-esque. Yetis are thought to be covered in white hair to help blend and survive the harsh, cold climate of the Himalayas. Larger than the average human, there have been reports of huge human- or bear-like footprints.
Additional information:
In Western culture Yetis live high peaks of the Himalayas, and in some stories, they prey on humans (either by necessity or by bloodlust).
However, in Asian culture, Yetis occupy the forests just beneath the snow line, sometimes moving south in colder weather. They are also considered not quite human, but not quite animal. Sometimes they are able to express gratitude and even practice Buddhism.
Yuki-Onna
Origin: Japan
Additional names for the Yuki-Onna (Yuki Onna, Yukionna) translate as “snow woman” and “woman of the snow”.
Relationships:
In some myths she takes human husbands.
Appearance:
Yuki-Onna is beautiful with black hair, blue lips, and skin so pale she blends in with snow.
Additional information:
When she chooses to, the Yuki-Onna can kill with her breath or touch, freezing her victims.
Some she lets live, either by leaving them alone or letting them escape. Rarely, she may even marry and having children with a human.
Yuki-Onna’s human-appearing body can vanish in wisps of snow or icicles.
Do you have any favourite winter creatures that I didn’t include?
Comment below!
Disclaimer: all of these fantasy creatures differ based on culture and time period as myths are constantly evolving. I’ve done my best to give a general description for each, but I don’t claim to be an expert on any of them. If you feel I’ve done one a misservice or have a fun fact you think should be added, please reach out to me via my contact form.
Resources / Additional reading:
Blog thumbnail: reindeer in Rovaniemi, Finland