Another day closer, and today we’re unpacking yet another of the darker Christmas characters from around the world.
This time, we have “Père Fouettard” or “Father Whipper”, who is traditionally from French lore but also has variations in both Belgium and Switzerland, and quite possibly one of the most gruesome origin stories of them all. He is depicted as an old man with a scraggly beard and dark robes, carrying long sticks to administer beatings. He is also said to have handed out lumps of coal instead of presents.
As the story goes, Père originally lived as a butcher (or innkeeper in some variations) in the 4th century. It is said he captured and murdered three young boys who knocked on his door searching for food in a famine.
One version of the tale states he drugged the children, slit their throats, chopped them up and threw them in a barrel of brine; he intended to further his profits by selling the children to his customers as meat. St. Nicholas discovers the scene and resurrects them; Père Fouettard must then spend the rest of his days as his assistant as punishment for his crimes.
In other versions of the story, Père Fouttard is sorry for his crimes after seeing the miracle performed by St Nicholas and thankful he undid his horrific actions; in this version, he chooses to follow him as an act of gratitude and remorse.
Some variations on the name Père Fouettard refer to him as “Happy Father”. I’m guessing that’s for those in favour of a murderous, whip-friendly, depressed sidekick to Santa 
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-Sam 
