Note: Paul Porter and Hayley Derryberry own the Shannon Building at 20 W. Jefferson Ave., which is being remodeled. Hayley owns and operates Derryberry Breadery. Paul owns and operates Big Square Media.
For Billie Jean Derryberry-Porter, the best Christmas memories are yet to come.
Billie Jean is the daughter of Iola business owners Paul Porter and Hayley Derryberry. She was born Nov. 3 and will be almost 2 months old her first Christmas.
As with any new baby, her parents are filled with ideas to create new traditions and forge memories she’ll cherish for a lifetime.
And as is fitting for the couple, those traditions will be anything but ordinary.
They’ll take their cues from German folklore, with a little horror on the side.
Among the many traditions they have mind, they planned to celebrate Krampus Night on Dec. 5 and the Feast of Saint Nicholas on Dec. 6.
According to German folklore, Krampus and Saint Nicholas work together. Saint Nicholas rewards good children while Krampus punishes the naughty on Dec. 5. On Dec. 6, children put their shoes out for Saint Nicholas to fill with treats.
Hayley wrote a thesis on German fear literature for children.
“There’s a tradition of scaring children into behaving. I find it really fascinating,” she said.
She believes it’s important to educate children about fear in a way that is fun and educational. Both Paul and Hayley have backgrounds in theater and the movies, and created a short horror movie in 2012.
“Sometimes, the world is scary. Being afraid is an important part of the human experience. For a moment, you can convince yourself magic is real,” Hayley said.
It’s all about symbolism: When the weather outside has turned dark and dreary, and the nights are getting longer, Christmas celebrates the light and the warmth inside.
“You appreciate the safety of the home when you think there’s a scary thing outside,” she noted.
Hayley has been interested in Swiss and German culture since she was a child, and her aunt, who was married to a man from the Alps, would send her Swiss chocolates. She earned a degree in German literature and has researched Krampus and the Nutcracker stories.
