A co-worker visited the Basque region of Spain over Christmas, and knowing that I am half Basque, she brought back a little memento for Tucker of Olentzero, the Basque version of Santa Claus.
She was shocked that I had never heard of Olentzero, who looks a little more like a grizzled and dirty coal miner in pictures than our favorite jolly fat red-suited man. Apparently, all over the Basque regions there are pictures of Olentzero this time of year, and legend has it that he would climb up people's balconies to bring the presents rather than going down the chimney. So my friend said it's common to see these likenesses of Olentzero climbing up onto people's balconies... but, if you don't know the story it looks a lot like fake robbers climbing up onto houses. I would like to see that!
Here's what wiki says about the legend of Olentzero:
"There are many variations to the Olentzero traditions and stories connected to him, sometimes varying from village to village. The first written account of Olentzero is from Lope de Isasi in the 16th century: A la noche de Navidad (llamamos) onenzaro, la sazón de los buenos 'Christmas eve (we refer to) as onenzaro, the season of the good ones'.
One common version has Olentzero being one of the jentillak, a mythological race of Basque giants living in the Pyrenees. Legend has it that they observed a glowing cloud in the sky one day. None of them could look at this bright cloud except for a very old, nearly blind man. When asked to examine it, he confirmed their fears and told them that it was a sign that Jesus will be born soon. According to some stories, the old man asked the giants to throw him off a cliff to avoid having to live through Christianisation. Having obliged him, the giants tripped on the way down and died themselves except Olentzero.
Other versions have the jentillak simple leaving, with only Olentzero remaining behind to embrace Christianity.[3]
Parts of this type of Olentzero legend are reminiscent of a prehistoric cult rituals surrounding the winter solstice, such as the involvement of ritual "last meals" and sacrifices of rebirth.
Other versions of the Olentzeroren kondaira or "history of Olentzero" tell that as a new born he was abandoned in the woods and was found by a fairy who gave him the name Olentzero, bestowed gifts of strength and kindness on him and handed him to an older childless couple living alone in the woods. He turned into a strong man and charcoal burner who was also good with his hands, carving wooden toys that he would carry in a big charcoal bag to give to the children of the village. It is said that he died one day saving children from a burning house and that when he died, the fairy who had found him granted him eternal life to continue to bring joy to children and people."
