Good morning, it’s Tuesday.
As a Jewish kid, I was always fascinated by Christmas and, to be quite honest, a little jealous of my friends who woke up on the day of and ran downstairs to find all the amazing presents Santa had left them to reward their good behavior.
Don’t get me wrong, Chanukah is great and everything. But it lacks the whole mystique of a fat guy in red suit arriving on your roof, compliments of magic flying reindeer pulling a sleigh full of toys, from which he plucks a select few, stuffs them in a sack, and stuffs them – along with his corpulent self – down the chimney.
When I re-read that, it all sounds pretty darn fantastical – and not a little ridiculous. But at the time, back when I was, say 8 or 9 years old, this whole thing just downright captivated me.
Plus the lights, and the stockings, and the candy canes, and the plate of cookies for Santa (not that he really needed ALL those cookies). The whole magic of Christmas thing really got me good.
That said, I was awfully relieved that no one was keeping tabs on my behavior and using that ledger as a decision-making tool for whether I merited toys around this time of year. Because, truthfully? I was kind of a naughty kid – the kind of kid who definitely merited more coal in the stocking as opposed to sweets.
Now that I’m an adult, I am friends with a few parents who tell me they notice a marked improvement in the behavior of their offspring around this time of year. Apparently, the threat of Santa tracking from his frosty North Pole abode who’s naughty and who’s nice still resonates.
And if jolly old Saint Nick and his behavior list isn’t enough to guilt a child into good behavior, there’s always the threat of Krampus, AKA the “Christmas Devil.”
Krampus, a dark-haired half-man/half-goat monster with horns and fangs, is a German tradition dating back to pagan times. He reportedly carried a bundle of sticks that he used to switch naughty children, and also carried a basket that he used to ferry the worst of the lot away to the underworld.
Tonight is “Krampusnacht” – the night before St. Nicholas Day (AKA the Feast of Sinterklaas – more on that tomorrow), when “good” children get rewarded with small gifts and coins.
Even if kids DO get gifts from St. Nick, there’s still the possibility that if they misbehave Krampus will return to take back their goodies and replace them either with coal or the aforementioned bundles of sticks, known as “ruten.”
If you’re still confused, you can think of Krampusnacht as a little bit of Halloween held over for the Christmas season. It’s traditional to celebrate by donning intricate devil masks – complete with horns – and running around scaring people, in part by shaking chains and/or cowbells at them.
Krampusnacht, as mentioned, has long been observed in Germany, as well as in Austria, Croatia, a few other European countries and Australia. In recent years, its popularity has grown here in the states, too. There’s a particularly notable New Orleans tie-in, which bills itself as the “largest Krampus parade in all of America,” brought to you by none other than the Krampus Krewe.
It will be cooler – in the mid-to-high 30s – today, but also dry, which makes for good masquerading weather, should you be itching to don your mask and horns. Skies will be cloudy, but there’s no precipitation in the forecast, which, for early December, I’ll take.
In the headlines…
The Israeli military has begun an invasion of southern Gaza, according to a New York Times analysis of satellite imagery, evidence of a long-awaited operation that could decide the fate of its war with Hamas and create more peril for Palestinian civilians.
The office of U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres expressed increasing concern for civilian lives in Gaza, stating “there is nowhere safe to go and very little to survive on” as Israeli ground operations push into southern Gaza.
The U.S. State Department says its seen reports that Hamas has committed sexual violence against hostages and has “no reason at all to doubt” them, according to spokesperson Matthew Miller.
Sen. Bernie Sanders, one of the Senate’s most prominent progressives, said he opposes sending $10.1 billion to the “Netanyahu government to continue its current offensive military approach,” lambasting the siege and assault of Gaza as “immoral.”
A meeting at the U.N., organized in part by Sheryl Sandberg, accused the body of ignoring the rape and mutilation of women in the Oct. 7 assault on Israel, and heard gruesome details from witnesses.
Almost as many journalists or media workers have been killed in Israel’s two-month-old war on Hamas as died during the 20-year-long Vietnam War 50 years ago, according to the latest tally by journalism organizations.
White House and state officials said a protest on Sunday was hateful and antisemitic after dozens of pro-Palestinian demonstrators opposed to Israel’s Gaza Strip offensive chanted slogans charging “genocide” outside an Israeli-style falafel shop in Philadelphia.
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s grim bet that America and the West will tire of his brutal war before he does is looking better by the day.
The Biden administration alerted Congress that funding to assist Ukraine in its war with Russia will run out by the end of this year as negotiators reach an impasse over future military and humanitarian aid.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer teed up the first procedural vote on Biden’s $106 billion supplemental package to send aid to Ukraine, Israel, Indo-Pacific countries and for humanitarian purposes in Gaza.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will address senators at a classified briefing today via a secure video conference feed, Schumer announced.
North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum suspended his presidential campaign after failing to garner polling momentum in a crowded GOP field.
Former President Donald Trump intends to appeal a ruling that upheld a gag order in his civil fraud trial in New York, with his attorneys saying yesterday that they plan to ask the state’s highest court to review the decision.
A ruling in former Trump’s civil fraud trial in New York could come as soon as next week.
Trump likes to criticize campaign rival Ron DeSantis − and yesterday, the former president even blamed the governor for Florida State University’s football misfortune.
After his expulsion from Congress last week, George Santos is finding a new way to make some cash: Cameo.
With Christmas fast approaching, Sen. John Fetterman decided to surprise his embattled colleague Bob Menendez with a little gift from a familiar face.
While initially charging $75 for a personalized video, Santos has nearly tripled his value. For $200, anyone can request a personalized video to be sent directly to them.
Democratic leaders have delayed announcing their candidate to vie for Santos’s former House seat until Thursday at least.
Westchester County executive George Latimer filed paperwork for a Democratic primary challenge to progressive Rep. Jamaal Bowman who has raised hackles with harsh criticism of Israel’s war with Hamas.
Latimer, 70, a popular two-term incumbent, said he intends to run for the NY-16 seat against Bowman, a charismatic former Bronx middle school principal who has represented a big chunk of the district for for two terms.
A senior lawyer at the New York Attorney General’s Office claims he was fired after trying to expose supposed misconduct by a chief prosecutor — who he alleges has hidden potential conflicts of interest and controversial professional relationships.
John Oleske claims he spent two years flagging concerns to his bosses about chief prosecutor José Maldonado — but that his employer dismissed the allegations before firing him this past October.
New York has received roughly $100 million for mental health services from the federal government under a landmark gun violence prevention bill passed last year, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand announced.
Two bills that tighten New York’s rules to form a village may pose fresh hurdles for plans by Hasidic communities in Orange and Sullivan counties if Gov. Kathy Hochul signs either this month.
Despite an exodus earlier in the pandemic, New York’s millionaires are increasing in number, according to a new report, raising questions about the state’s tax policies.
State education officials are analyzing whether mayoral control should be scrapped altogether, as Mayor Eric Adams prepares to ask the state Legislature to extend his power over the city’s public school system.
The woman suing Adams for sexual assault is a serial litigant who has launched a blitzkrieg of cases against exes, employers and major corporations – and has even written a book boasting of her legal battles.
City Comptroller Brad Lander’s office has revoked Adams’ emergency powers to make deals with contractors for migrant services without prior approval, according to a letter from the comptroller’s office to the mayor’s office dated last Thursday.
Lander’s office revealed that he “hereby revoked” his prior approval for migrant shelter and services contracts awarded after Nov. 30, and that future migrant spending would need to be first authorized by his office on a case-by-case basis.
As migrants sleep out in the cold after hitting city limits on how long they can stay in shelters, they are criticizing official efforts to get them off the street, saying they boil down to an iffy wait list.
Several for-profit companies, including a medical firm facing scrutiny from authorities, are on track to get new contracts worth more than $560 million to provide migrant services, which comes as Adams faces calls to shift away from the for-profit model.
Migrants slept on New York City sidewalks last week. Some advocates worry about what will happen when families need to reapply for shelter after Christmas.
Adams tamed his own diabetes — now a report commissioned by his Health Department is recommending a well-funded citywide campaign to curb the debilitating and potentially deadly chronic disease afflicting 1 million other New Yorkers.
Adams has announced the next NYCHA complex to vote on the future of their development.
With Adams facing a growing number of controversies, investigations and criticisms, a growing number of potential challengers see an opportunity to run for mayor in 2025.
The MTA is once again issuing a booze ban for LIRR and Metro-North railroads when SantaCon comes to NYC this weekend.
The MTA has installed its first harder-to-jump fare gates at a Queens station as part of a test of potential designs aimed at staunching the fare beating crisis that stole $690 million from the agency’s coffers last year.
The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum announced that it had laid off 10 employees in response to a challenging economic moment in the art world.
The Wolf Road hotel that entered into an agreement to house migrants last May is no longer affiliated with a national hotel chain.
The buildings at the College at Saint Rose are likely to be vacant after the college closes next year, but Mayor Kathy Sheehan said she was optimistic other local colleges will eventually occupy some of the structures on the campus.
Officials gathered in Albany’s Lincoln Park yesterday to mark the start of construction of a new city pool.
Comedian and actor Kevin Hart, armed with new material, is heading to Albany in the new year.
A new exhibit centered around the time capsule unearthed from the base of the Philip Schuyler statue that long stood in front of Albany City Hall has opened.
An estimated 6.9 million users of the genetic testing company 23andMe had their personal information stolen by hackers in a recent data breach, a company spokesperson confirmed.
Photo credit: George Fazio.
