DARK CHRISTMAS

Dark Christmas

The term ‘Dark Christmas’ combines the meaning of the word ‘dark’ with the rather cheerful occasion ‘Christmas.’ Notably, the word ‘dark’ carries three main ideas,

• I. Devoid or partially devoid of light
• II. Arising from or showing evil traits or desires, or dark powers
• III. Unenlightened or relating to grim or depressing circumstances

And the word ‘Christmas’ refers to the anniversary of the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, the spiritual leader of millions of Christians across the globe. It is not only a sacred religious holiday held every in December 25th, but also a cultural and commercial phenomenon. Among its most common traditions, customs of exchanging gifts, decorating Christmas trees, attending church, sharing meals are popular. Santa Claus has a significant role in the event as well. So, when put together, ‘dark Christmas’ has an utterly different set of connotations. Interestingly, each of these depends on the context of the word’s usage.

Dark Christmas Legends

Origin of the exact phrase ‘Dark Christmas,’ is connected to the age old ‘Dark Christmas Legends.’ These Dark legends creep behind the Christmas celebrations of the festive season and reveal a dark side, in a part of Europe from Iceland to Greece. These myths bring mischievous creatures such as goblins, gnomes and Santa's sinister companions to life.

Goblins such as Yulemen of Iceland appear from days starting from 12th of December until Christmas Eve, and steal meat, sausages, milk and candles, and play tricks on humans. Similarly, the Kallikatzaroi of Greece is a set of ugly hairy goblins that practice mischief on the planet by playing pranks, befouling food and scaring humans. Julenisse in Scandinavia and Tomte in Sweden become nasty if mistreated. Pere Fouettard (or Whipping Father) in France, who is depicted as a murderous extremely terrorizing figure with his blackened face stick or a whip in hand, is a companion of St. Nicholas. Knecht Ruprecht in Germany is another evil spirit whose job is to scare children. Krampus in Bavaria, Austria, Croatia and Slovenia, Schumutzli in Switzerland, and Belsnickel are other such sinister characters.

Dark Christmas

The period between December and February, the winter holidays, or the Christmas time is statistically marked as a period, which indicates the highest level of stress and depression. This is referred to as Dark Christmas in modern context. According to the researches, this situation arises as a result of the upcoming Christmas holidays. Despite of being a time for excitement and relaxation, some people worry too much about the holiday planning. Accordingly, some keep worrying about family conflicts that might occur. Those who have not settled down yet, bother about having no place to go. The depression continues through the whole winter, making it a dark Christmas.

Dark Christmas Decorations

Many new Christmas decorations use the beauty of the blend of light and darkness in the dark Christmas evenings. Apart from candles and electrical decorations, a new type of Christmas decoration has evolved in recent times. Glow in the Dark Day Colour Pigments are now available in the market. This product can be used to paint the Christmas decorations. They glow in the dark under low light conditions after being exposed to strong light for five minutes. These new commodities do not require electricity to illuminate. Glow in the Dark Day Colour Pigment is a solvent-based pigment, and white paint mix, which looks like snow in daytime. Therefore, it is ideal for both internal and external use, especially for green plastic Christmas trees. It also comes in a new Green premium pigment that gives more intense glow effect. It can be use on your front window, and plastic or foam balls.