Christmas is fast approaching and images of the jolly green/red man are to be found everywhere. You may not be aware, however, that Santa has a helper and it is not some cute little elf.

Meet Black Peter

Looks familar? Well Black Peter is another name for the devil and legend has it that St. Nicholas put the Devil in chains and made him his slave. Each Christmas it was believed that the Devil himself was working under orders from Saint Nick. The good Saint would direct Black Peter to drop gifts and candy down the chimneys into the children’s shoes which were always there on Christmas Eve.

Further more the legend gave Black Peter a role in St. Nicholas’ decision making as to what the children should receive for Christmas. The naughty ones and the lazy ones would be spirited away during the night by Black Peter, or punished with a birch rod. St. Nicholas would always force his evil slave to reward the good children with gifts. The fate of the naughty children was often spared by St. Nicholas at the last moment in some cultures, subject to a promise to be good during the following year.

This folklore has its origins in Holland, like St Nicholas himself, and Black Peter is usually depicted wearing spanish style clothes. At the time these legends arose Holland was under Spanish rule which was deeply resented by the Dutch hence the representation of the devil as being aligned with Spain.