[Avodah] Nittel Nacht Is An Old Ashkenaz Minhag

[Zev Sero]

A few years ago I saw an article that made a fairly convincing case that 
all the classic Nittel minhagim originally started among German Xians in 
the 16th century, and the Jews picked it up from them.  Apparently the 
German "Santa" of that time was far from the jolly figure we're familiar 
with, and the Xian kids were terrified of him, and spread that terror to 
their Jewish playmates.

-- 
Zev Sero            Wishing everyone a *healthy* and happy 5781
zev at sero.name       "May this year and its curses end
                      May a new year and its blessings begin"