According to folklore, kids in Europe have it WAY worse than us.
Everyone loves the jolly Santa who brought us awesome presents as children:
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On bad years, we might have gotten lumps of coal.
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But in Europe, naughty children get PUNISHED and BEATEN.
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Yule Lads, or Icelandic trolls, would come from the mountains to steal things and scare children.
Source: myvatn.is / via: en.wikipedia.org