Saint Knud's Day is a traditional holiday celebrated in Sweden and Finland on 13 January. It is not celebrated on this date in Denmark, although it is named after the Danish prince Knud (Knut, Canute) Lavard, and later also associated with his uncle, Knud the Saint, the patron saint of Denmark. Christmas trees are cut down and the candy and biscuits that decorated the tree are eaten. In Sweden, the celebration held on this occasion is called Knud's Day (julgransplundring, literally "Christmas tree plundering").
Saint Knud, first Christian king of Scandinavia
In Sweden, St. Nicholas Day marks the end of the Christmas season and the end of the year celebrations. It is celebrated by putting out the Christmas tree and dancing around it. Nowadays, the holiday is mainly reserved for children.
On nuutinpäivä (Saint Knud's Day), a tradition was observed that is somewhat analogous to modern Santa Claus, where young men dressed as goats (Finnish: nuuttipukki) visited houses. Usually, the dress was a reverse fur jacket, a leather or birch bark mask and horns. Unlike Santa Claus, Nuuttipukki was a scary character (Krampus). The men dressed as nuuttipukki wandered from house to house, entering and usually asking the household for food and especially leftover alcoholic beverages.
Unless Nuuttipukki receives a salary from the host, he commits evil deeds. A dialectical proverb from Noormarkku says: Hyvä Tuomas joulun tua, paha Knuuti poijes viä or 'Good [Saint] Thomas brings Christmas, evil Knut takes it away.'
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Today, the Swedes and Finns celebrate Saint Knud's Day. It marks the end of the end-of-year holidays, we rob the Christmas tree and dress up as Nuuttipukki. #mythology #myth #legend #calendar #13January #saintknud #nuuttipukki #sweden #finland
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