Krampus & Co

Today is bad news day for all naughty children as here in Bavaria Krampus is doing his rounds with St Nikolaus who is handing out presents to the good children. In other parts of Germany, Nikolaus is accompanied by a tamer type called Knecht Ruprecht. Both rather frightening characters, heavily in to corporal punishment - it's quite surprising that they haven't been banned.

Angie could well have been mistaken for Krampus this morning as she set out with the dogs for a ride in the middle of a snowstorm which luckily soon ended. She didn't manage to make her rendevous with St Nikolaus and so no presents for me today, being one of the good, well behaved types.

In our parish you can "order" St Nikolaus & Krampus to come to your house at a particular time. Normally a short "review" of the year has been prepared by the parents noting many of the less good events but ending in the good ones and thus the justification for a present. Local youth groups usually organise this and make a small charge which is then given to charity.

Today was also a major charity day organised by the Bavarian state funded TV/radio broadcasting company. The day started 20 years ago during the 1993 Balkan civil wars where so many children were suffering. It is now probably one of the biggest childrens charities in these parts - 100% of the donations being used in the projects, all admin costs being paid by big businesses. They sponsor a few projects in the rest of Germany but the majority overseas and in Bavaria. They sent 500,000 Euros within a couple of days of the typhoon hitting the Phillipines last month. A local project is a hospice for children with terminal illnesses and importantly for their families in Bad Groenenbach which is appropriatly called St Nikolaus Hospice!

Some of the footage tonight should make every single parent of a "normal" child, give daily thanks to whoever they believe in, for such a priceless gift. To see the horrors and illnesses these childrens suffer and the pain and suffering their families go through is heartbreaking and should earn the highest respect. Most of us get upset at having a child who "plays up" for a day, but try dealing with one with a lifelong illness and that 24/7/365/xx

This year they feared they may not hit the 6 million Euros of last year as they raised 7 million for the June floods but as I write they were well over 5 million. Think it's a worthwhile trustworthy set up and they get my very small financial support but every cent counts.

I hope all have a good Christmas shopping weekend and if you have the chance, do something good for someone not as well off as you are.