Here is a concise summary of the provided text:
**Title:** The Dark Origins of New Year's Symbols and Creatures
**Summary:**
* The narrator, feeling unwell, presents a New Year's video exploring the lesser-known, darker origins of festive symbols and creatures.
* **Santa Claus:**
+ Originally "Elabuga" (Finnish for "Christmas Goat"), a cruel deity from Lapland, not St. Nicholas from Turkey.
+ Initially associated with the pagan holiday Yule, not Christmas.
* **Slavic Santa Claus:**
+ Linked to severe frosts, associated with death and cold.
+ Involved in a creepy ritual where a young girl was sacrificed to appease the lord of cold and ice.
* **Christmas Tree:**
+ Many cultures associate spruce trees with the world of the dead.
+ Originated from ancient, gloomy traditions, later modified to symbolize happiness.
* **Other Creepy Christmas Creatures:**
+ **Krampus** (German folklore): Santa's brother, a horned, terrifying figure who punishes naughty children.
+ **Jólakötturinn (Yule Cat)** (Icelandic folklore): A monstrous, giant black cat that devours poorly dressed, naughty children on Christmas Eve.
**Conclusion:**
The narrator concludes by highlighting the darker, often forgotten origins of festive symbols and creatures, wishing the audience a better understanding of these complex traditions.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text, numbered and in short sentences, excluding opinions:
**Historical and Mythological Facts**
1. The name "Santa" comes from "Saint Nicholas".
2. Saint Nicholas was from Turkey, not Lapland.
3. In Finnish, "Elabuga" (or "Joulupukki") means "Christmas goat".
4. Elabuga was originally a pagan deity associated with the winter solstice (Yule).
5. Initially, Elabuga was depicted as a bloodthirsty and cruel deity.
6. In Slavic mythology, Santa Claus was associated with severe frosts.
7. A ritual in ancient Slavic cultures involved sacrificing a young girl to the "lord of cold and ice".
**Evolution of Christmas Traditions**
8. In the Middle Ages, Elabuga's image transformed into a good-natured character.
9. Until the 19th century, the tradition of celebrating New Year's on January 1 was not widespread.
10. Tsar Peter of Perth introduced the Julian calendar in 1699, adopting January 1 as New Year's Day.
11. The Christmas tree tradition was imposed by Tsar Peter, inspired by German customs.
12. The modern image of Santa Claus as we know it today emerged around 1910.
**Other Christmas Figures and Traditions**
13. Krampus, a Christmas monster, originated in German folklore.
14. Krampus is often described as Santa's brother or companion.
15. The character of Krampus gained popularity through recent films and comics.
16. In Icelandic folklore, the "Yule Code" (or "Jólakötturinn") is a monstrous cat that punishes naughty children on Christmas Eve.
17. According to legend, the Yule Code's behavior depends on the condition of a person's clothes on Christmas Eve.