Page News & Courier

Heritage and Heraldry

Belsnickling – when dressing in costumes wasn’t just for Halloween

Article of September 13, 2001

Halloween isn’t even upon us yet and the latter 20th century tradition of Halloween AND Christmas decorations in the store is before us already. So, in the same spirit, I say, “why not?” – time for a story that does justice to both seasons that the retailers bring to us so early-on this time of the year. And yes “Virginia,” this story does pertain to Page County and the Shenandoah Valley . . .

Sometime during the third quarter of the 20th century, an old custom seemed to fade away. Perhaps only few recall the name “Belsnickle,” but there are some – even here in Page – that might recall a time when, on Christmas Eve (not Halloween as some may think), some folks would dress in hideous disguises and distribute nuts and cakes to naughty boys and girls. These “gifts” were thrown upon the floor, but if a child were to try to recover them in the presence of the Belsnickler, the child would quickly receive a “whack” on the backside with a whip. In “Pennsylvania Germans of the Shenandoah Valley,” it was noted that this practice might even go well beyond just one evening, running for nearly two weeks, starting a week before Christmas and continuing until New Year.

Seemingly a strange old custom, Belsnickling had roots in German ancestry. Belsnicklers usually traveled in groups – much like trick-or-treaters of contemporary times – from farm to farm, “making merriment as they went, a boisterous, noisy, and happy group.” Starting shortly after dark, the practice would end long before midnight. While not welcome in all homes, in some instances, Belsnicklers were invited in, and after unmasking and identifying themselves, were rewarded with refreshments of doughnuts, molasses cakes, coffee, lemonade, or cider.

Early on, costumes were typically made from stockings and burlap or paper bags. In many cases, people used charcoal to blacken their faces – the ultimate goal being to disguise yourself enough as to prevent identification. In time, the art of creativity in costumes, much like the changes in Halloween today, seemed to fade away and was replaced by costumes and masks manufactured and sold at various retail stores.

Another practice similar to Belsnickling was “Kris Kringling.”

The roots of “Kris-Kringling” can be found in the original “St. Nicholas the gift-giver” who was superseded by a representation of the infant Jesus (the Christ child, or "Christkindlein"). Ultimately, both Belsnickling and Kris-Kringling have common ties in the “Christkindlein” that accompanied Nicholas-like figures. In time, this person changed into a dwarf-like helper who wore furs (known as “Belsnickle” or "Pelznickel"). While the Belsnickle greeted awake children on Christmas Eve, the Christkindlein was credited with bringing gifts to children that slept – the same gifts that would be found on Christmas morning. In time, the word Christkindlein seemed to mutate into "Kris Kringle" and ultimately became the more recognized Santa Claus that we know today.

While Santa began to come into a more recognizable form around the 1840s with Clement Moore’s famous story and in the 1860s with caricatures by Thomas Nast, Belsnickling still existed – as I’ve mentioned – into the 20th century. However, the fur-wearing Belsnickler also contributed one other thing to Santa before all was said and done – ah yes, Santa does were a fur-trimmed red coat doesn’t he?! Who would have ever thought that a custom practiced right here in Page and the Valley contributed something to that jolly old fellow?

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