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Seasonal Greek Folklore: Kallikantzaroi
Kallikantzaroi are goblin type creatures in Greek folklore. During most of the year, the Kallikantzaroi live underground where they spend their time sawing away at the World Tree that supports the earth. On Christmas morning, however, the Kallikantzaroi are permitted to roam the earth, distracting them from their goal of bringing about the fall of humankind. On Earth they spend their time being general annoyances to humans by playing tricks and disrupting households.
Then after twelve days, the Kallikantzaroi are forced back underground only to discover their entire year’s worth of work on the World Tree has been for naught. The tree has healed itself in their absence, so they must begin their work all over again.
Origins:
Like much of European folklore, the Kallikanrzaoi come from ancient pagan traditions but have been adapted to fit with Christianity. Because they aren’t evil but rather impish and dim witted, one theory connects them to the masquerades of the ancient Roman winter festival of Bacchanalia during which foolish drunks would stumble around causing disruption. Another connects them to rituals for preventing agricultural disease and parasites as there were all sorts of practices connected to warding off an invasion of Kallikantzaroi.
Stories of creatures similar to the Kallikantzari are found in folklore across the Balkans, as well as in Cyprus and Turkey.
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