Ep. 70 Kallikantzaroi: Greece’s Christmas Gremlins

This week we dive into Greek Christmas folklore and the legend of the Kallikantzaroi — the wild, hairy little goblins who crawl up from underground during the 12 Days of Christmas to cause pure chaos.

From Dec 25th to Jan 6th, the world was believed to be in a spiritual “in-between,” not fully blessed or protected yet. That’s when these mischievous creatures slip out, abandoning their year-round job of sawing at the cosmic World Tree (which hilariously heals itself every time they leave).

We cover:

• Where they come from and why they only appear during this window

• What they look like — deformed, hairy, clawed, goblin nightmares

• The havoc they wreak — stealing food, breaking things, pranks, chimney chaos

• How people protected themselves, from burning fires to tricking their tiny goblin brains with counting objects

• Why they symbolize winter fear, disorder, and holiday unpredictability

• Plus a fun comparison: Kallikantzaroi vs. Iceland’s Yule Lads

Lock your doors, guard your cookies, and let’s get into the legend of the Kallikantzaroi — the chaotic Christmas creatures you definitely don’t want visiting your house.

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