These scary Christmas characters are not all about smiling Santa Claus and his helper Elves. They are not cheery, but they represent a reason to be nice, not naughty.

For ages, yuletide celebrations have been devised around other than a smiling jovial man in the red suit.

Before Christianity, celebrations on the last day of the year were about Santa Claus and other darker creatures, making these pre-Christian celebrations more unique.

Christmas nights were scary nights all over the world, and these characters are malevolent, dark, and scary that want nothing more than a naughty little boy or girl to visit, as reported in Farmer's Almanac.

1. PÈRE FOUETTARD

This character comes from a French legend called 'Father Whipper,' a cannibal who likes to butcher children and eat them. He or his wife lured three boys to his place, then chop them up and eat them.But, the boys were saved by Saint Nicholas and brought back to life. The butcher later became one of Santa's servants, and he would punish naughty kids on St. Nicholas' day. 

2. The Yule Cat

This legendary cat is also called the Jólakötturinn, which is as big as a house. On Christmas Night in Iceland, it will look for children who got new clothes. Tradition says that those who finished all their work on time were given new clothes for Christmas, while those who were lazy did not. Woe betides those with no new clothes because the Yule Cat will feast on the child later. It is essential to get something new, even socks only, or the cat will eat more than the child's dinner. 

3. Krampus

The beastly opposite of Santa originated from an early German Christmas tradition which was a celebration in early December. He is a hairy and beastly half-man creature with horns, hooves, and sharp teeth. He is the total reverse of Santa, who would take the naughty boy or girl in his sack to a dark lair, where they are punished. 

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4. Karakoncolos

Originating from Turkey, the Karakoncolos looks like a Devil and a Sasquatch. On a winter night, he will catch someone at street corners to answer a riddle, and they could only get away if the word 'black' is in the answer. If not, they'd get clawed dead in a single blow. 

5: Lussi

She is a fearful legend with tyrannical powers known in Norway. She has companions, who are the source of terror, a crowd of nasty creatures, trolls, and undead souls who would snatch anyone out in the wilderness, called the Oskorei, the wild where they will take away people who stray into their path. 

6. Joulupukki

In Finland, this creature resembles Santa, also called Christmas goat, scared Finnish children because of devil-like horns and hooves in red leather pants and a fur leather coat. The goat man would go to the houses of good or bad children and leave presents for good ones, while he would beat the bad kids till bloody, and he enjoyed it. 

7. Nisse 

Christmas Pixies or Nisse that took care of a family or farm in Scandinavia is less than four feet tall with a red cap. They are essentially guardian spirits who do chores for people they are attached to, but they can be foul-tempered and do bad things when not satisfied. The household must leave a single bowl of porridge with butter on Christmas eve, or bad things will follow.

These scary Christmas characters are what makes the night special to remind children to be nice for the entire year and not be naughty, or they'll get a visit from these characters that will surely spook and spread fright on a Christmas night. 

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