On Christmas Eve, millions of children drift off to sleep with full confidence that they will be visited in the night by a jolly old elf. Holiday creatures in many cultures, though, are not so benevolent.
From KFC in Japan to scaring kids in Austria, these are the most bizarre Christmas traditions from around the world news24.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from news24.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
All scary Christmas characters were there from the darker side of yule when more than Santa was there. These creatures would be there to encourage better behavior the whole year for the bad children.