There is a tale that I have been taught about as a kid: Wilde Jagd ("The Wild Hunt"). Surely you've heard about it, there's video games about it. There's even a local variation. It's a common tale that for twelve days after the winter solstice there is a group of ghosts of people who died an early death, on horses, chasing through the sky, led by one or more important gods (I was taught it's Odin and "Frau Holle" - a different name for Freya - leading the pack, but they can be any gods really) making lots of noise, screaming and having the appearance of dark clouds.
It is believed that they are evil, in some sort of meltdown state, out to seek revenge on the living, and if you mock them they will attack you, but this isn't their purpose at all - it is a march of the gods to bring good things to people somewhere else, and if you don't disturb them they will leave you alone. And if you show support for them you get something good but probably cursed. There is no reason to be scared of them if you let them do their job, and I think this fear is probably only felt by christians.
I like to think of them as the original Santa Claus. This is also the reason for the big bonfires that are lit, to tell them that here are people who anticipate their arrival.
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