What is a Sugar Plum?

 We all know the story of "A Visit from St. Nicholas", right? No? Oh! You might know it by a different name, "'Twas the Night Before Christmas". If you don't read the book, you know the tale in some form, whether from it being read in a movie/t.v. show or from a variation of it from someone/somewhere, you know the story. Digimon Season 2 did a variation on it A Very Digi Christmas and Jeff Dunham did a reading of the story with many interruptions and interpretations by Peanut.

But there is a line where the children in the story are "were nestled all snug in their beds/ While visions of sugar plums dance in their heads." I have always wondered what a sugar plum was, but my parents didn't know what it was. They said what everyone thinks, that it is a sugar coated plum... yuck! Well, guess what? They were wrong!

Krampus

In Austria and Hungary, there is a legend that keeps kids good all year long. In the spirit of Christmas, I thought I would give you one more reason to be good this year. In this legend, Santa Claus gives presents to good boys and girls on Christmas Eve, while his demonic counterpart deals out the punishment. His name is Krampus.

He gets his name from the old German word for "claw." In Austria, St. Nicholas is helped by this demon on Christmas Eve. They are even travel buddies. Not only is his name an inspiration for year long nightmares for children, but he looks it as well. He has a red face with goat horns atop his head and shaggy black fur all over. He carries chains and rings a large cowbell. He has a long crimson tongue, a tail, and he totes around a big stick and huge black bag.