Someone should tell Santa not to pick up hitchhikers.
While Westerners have a pleasant image of jolly old Saint Nicholas, Father Christmas rides with some tough crowds in other parts of the world.
In Austria, the traveling companions include Krampusse, often depicted as demonic figures with shaggy hair and horns, as seen in this Associated Press photo from a Nov. 27 parade in Hallein. During such Krampusläufe (Krampus runs), the characters often drag chains and lunge at children.
That's all laughs compared to northern France's Pere Fouettard, who was said to have butchered three children. Upon hearing of this, St. Nick resurrected the children and guilted the murderer into becoming his servant.
Oh, Santa, you sure do have strange tastes in friends.
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Wikipedia.org
Get your beard on
ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Gentlemen, start your beards.
Anchorage has been awarded the 2009 World Beard and Moustache Championships following a bidding process and vote of World Beard and Moustache Association members, according to the group's President Bruce Roe of Bremerton, Wash.
The biannual contest has been held in the United States only once before - two years ago in Carson City, Nev.
"It's a big honor," says David Traver, vice president of the Southcentral Alaska Beard & Moustache Club. "We've had a beard competition going on in Anchorage for about 54 years now, and we feel Anchorage is the perfect venue for this event."
Associated Press
Mickey D's sticky fingers at Wendy's
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MANCHESTER, N.H. - A name like Ronald MacDonald might have raised suspicion from the start for a Wendy's employee.
Now the 22-year-old MacDonald has been charged with stealing from a safe at the Wendy's restaurant where he worked.
The man is no relation to the cheerful, red-haired clown who is the face of the McDonald's advertising campaign.
The restaurant manager said he found MacDonald and another employee taking the money about 1:30 a.m. Monday.
MacDonald and Steve Lemay, 20, were detained at the store until police arrived.
Associated Press
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