Uploaded December 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago

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When one thinks of legendary figures associated with Christmas time, they often think of Santa Claus, his elves and flying reindeer. But in Austria, Bavaria, and other regions in the Alps, winter is the opportune hunting time for Frau Perchta, the Christmas Witch! As the story goes, Perchta would ride through a town with a host of unsavory creatures at her back, and break into houses to reward the studious and hard working, but gruesomely maim and kill the lazy and the ill-mannered. A scary folktale for sure...but could Perchta have at one time been a benevolent being?

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MYTHOLOGY HAS BEEN TOLD AND RETOLD IN MANY FORMS ACROSS TIME, STORIES AND ACCOUNTS MAY VARY.

MUSIC:
"Carol of the Bells" cover by Beedle the Bardcore
"Dark Christmas Music" by Landon Zientara

CLIPS:
Stock footage of Christmas festivities and snow

OPENING:
fiverr.com/saif_edits

ARTISTS FEATURED:
Janna Sophia
Natali Vallee
Tomas Omarsson
Maena Paillet
Lyra O'Brien
Caspar David Friedrich

REFERENCES:
“Scary Book of Christmas Lore” by Tim Rayborn
atlasobscura.com/articles/frau-perchta-christmas-witch-winter-goddess
horrorculturefan.blogspot.com/2021/12/a-bestiary-of-winter-and-christmas.html?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR3nCLPBFt5iy6NPlVatbdXr26Q_dJCCnpVgE5qL_sofQaffvBkgOmpKCZU_aem_6J1RtqR_KEyYfpJncKAgVw
thewickedgriffin.com/frau-perchta/?srsltid=AfmBOopBJeq-CGMTUD6K-P-gut2BR5MD8V_YDOFWZGj8mx-7jAEUXQzR

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