TOLEDO, Ohio — Santa has been spotted throughout Toledo for the past few weeks as he visits children to see what they want for Christmas this year.
But he isn’t the only one keeping tabs on the kiddos this holiday season.
The Bavarian Sports Club on Lagrange St. in north Toledo had their Kinder Christmas party on Sunday where they welcomed St. Nicholas and Krampus to meet with children and make sure they are staying on the good list.
Of course, everyone knows St. Nick, but do you know Krampus?
The older folks at Sunday’s party want to make sure kids do - not only so they can keep the central European tradition alive when they get older, but also to teach them valuable lessons about staying out of trouble.
“Be very, very careful about being a good little girl or a bad little boy or girl because Krampus likes to stuff kids in sacks and give them sticks for presents, and use the sticks if they’ve been very bad,” said Mike Willinger, who remembers the tradition from when he was a child. “It’s to let the children understand that if they’re bad, there are consequences. So Krampus needs them to be good.”
Kids also learned the origin story of St. Nick, who is a decidedly more likeable than Krampus.
“St. Nicholas in the third century was born into a rich family, his parents passed and he decided to use his inheritance to help poor people in the region. The tradition was if you were a good boy or girl that he would leave presents in your shoes” said Willinger.
It’s traditions like these that the adults at the party hope will stay alive with the younger generation.
“The kids are what it’s all about. If we don’t have the kids here then we won’t be here 20 years from now,” said Harry Schmitz, president of the club.
The traditional German celebration had something for the whole family.
Lots of singing, beer drinking, and storytelling kept everyone in the festive spirit.
St. Nicholas had some parting words that everyone should remember at Christmas.
“Just be good and kind and generous to your friends and to your family. They’re the most important people that you’ll have in your life. This is what’s nice about the Christmas spirit. Is that everyone starts to understand that kindness and love are much more important in the world than gifts.”
Frohe Weihnachten!
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