Meeting the Mari Lwyd

 

The Mari Lwyd
Fasnacht 2024

Once upon a time, I thought I had reached peak Creepmas status with meeting everyone's favorite Yuletide demon, Krampus. In fact, over the years, I met Krampus a few times at various events. My family and I still try to make a visit with Krampus part of our annual Christmas tradition. But, last year I kicked the creep up a notch and met another favorite holiday weirdo....the Mari Lywd of South Wales.

Although it was well past the 12 days of Christmas (it was actually during Helvetia's Fasnacht celebration in February) there was no mistaking the festively adorned horse's skull. I was, in fact, in the presence of the Mari Lwyd. But, who or what IS the Mari Lwyd?

Well...there's a lot of legends and lore surrounding this Welsh Christmas monstrosity. The first written record of the Mari Lwyd comes from A Tour Through Part of North Wales, written by J. Evans in 1800, although oddly, it is more associated with the southern part of the country. The Mari Lwyd is, well...it's a horse skull attached to a long pole and decorated with ribbon and festive baubles. The Mari Lwyd, accompanied by 4-7 men (generally) roam around between December 25th and Epiphany (January 6th). The Mari Lwyd and its posse visit various homes, and try to gain entry through a back and forth litany of crude rhymes. Basically, the Mari Lwyd challenges opponents to a rap battle. If the homeowner should back down before the Mari Lwyd, the whole gang is invited in to partake of food and drink, before moving on to the next home.

Hanging out beside the Mari Lwyd

Folklore experts disagree on where the name Mari Lwyd comes from, with some saying that it translates into Holy or Blessed Mary, meaning the mother of Christ. Others believe it simply means 'grey mare,' denoting the origin of the skull itself. Whatever its origin, the idea of a decorated horse skull knocking on your door, demanding entry is kinda weird....and definitely a quintessential part of the creepy Christmas tradition!

Luckily, when I met the Mari Lwyd, I didn't have to engage in battle with it. In fact, I think the poor guy who was wearing the costume was so worn out by having his picture taken, that by that point, all he wanted to do was sit down, which he did beside me. I tried to compliment him, but he just grunted a thanks, so I left him alone. Even an undead horse needs a holiday once in awhile!

Sources and Further Reading:

WikiPedia

Museum Wales

Wales.com

Beware of Frau Perchta

Christmas is full of weird, spooky witches and monsters. From Krampus, to Hans Trapp, to Gryla and her demonic kitty and Yule Lads (more on those traditions in a later post!), there's plenty to keep one scared straight during the holiday season. However, the majority of these yuletide terrors are designed to keep children in line. While here in the modern USA, parents threaten their kids that if they don't behave, Santa Claus will NOT bring them presents. That's pretty tame compared to the European folklore of Krampus, who will either beat them with birch sticks or stuff them into his sack and drag them off to Hell. 

But what happens when its the adults who are naughty...particularly the lady of the house?  Enter Frau Perchta.

Frau Perchta is an interesting character. She goes by many names, arrives in various forms, and her tradition can be linked to a number of different legends and tales. She's most known, however, for being absolutely terrifying. 

Hailing from the Alpine areas near the Austrian and German border, Frau Perchta or "Spinnstubenfrau" (The Spinning Room Lady), acts as a warning for the womenfolk to make sure their house was not only spotless during the 12 Days of Christmas--from December 25 to January 6--but to ensure that they had all their spinning finished before the holidays. 

If a household heard a knock on their door on any of the three Thursdays leading up to Christmas (known as Berchtle or Knocking Nights), or on any of the 12 days of Christmas, the maternal head of home had better have it together. If the above-mentioned conditions weren't met, or if Frau Perchta had not been honored with a feast of porridge and fish, she may angrily set fire to one's unfinished fiber arts. If she was in a really bad mood, she might just withdrawal the long knife concealed under her skirt and slit you open, replacing your organs with rocks, straw, and even garbage. But, if you had been a good girl and got all your chores done, you might find a nice, shiny silver coin left for you.

In her 'evil' form, Frau Perchta appears as an old crone dressed in rags. You know its her by her large, beaked nose made of iron and her one non-human foot, often described as a goose, or swan foot. In her 'good' form, she shows up as a beautiful maiden dressed all in white, sometimes going by the moniker of Holle. Another interesting characteristic of Frau Perchta is that she is often accompanied by an unholy posse of unbaptized babies and the Perchten, which are a bunch of Krampus-looking demons. Any thunder or windstorms during this time are attributed to this band of creatures, and link the Frau Perchta legend to the Wild Hunt. 

There are way too many fine points and rabbit holes associated with Frau Perchta, so I'll let you run off to do your own research if you'd like to know more. But, just take this as a warning: make sure you have all your chores completed by Christmas. It might just save your life. 

Stay Spooky!

Links of Interest:

Bone and Sickle

Boroughs of the Dead