1. a figure in Christmas folklore, typically portrayed as a bearded man in ragged clothes who visits homes to reward good children and punish misbehaving ones; a variant of Krampus or similar gift-giving/punishing figure in Germanic and Pennsylvania Dutch traditions.
Usage: chiefly North American; regional, especially Pennsylvania Dutch communities; also spelled 'Belsnickle' when referring to the character

Examples

• Children in Pennsylvania Dutch country grew up hearing stories about Belsnickle visiting on Christmas Eve.
• The Belsnickle tradition blends German and American Christmas customs.
• Some families still dress up as Belsnickle to visit neighbors during the holiday season.
• Unlike Santa Claus, Belsnickle was known to scold naughty children.
• The character of Belsnickle appears in several American regional Christmas celebrations.