Seems like OP is not familiar with fae mythology.

European cryptids can be creepy as hell if you look into older, non-disneyfied versions.

European Crypitids

How europeans deals with them

Someone didn't play the Witcher

And then there's Norway.

Tbf, the Europeans have some pretty fucked cryptid lore, it's just that they're more chaotic neutral and less chaotic vengeance than the American variety. My favorite american cryptid is an old one you don't hear much of anymore, and was born from Pacific NorthWest loggers: the Hide Behind. Basically, this mf stalks your shit and will always duck behind a tree when you turn to look at it; it's fast enough to never be seen clearly, but you can just catch glimpses of it if you're fast/lucky. Eventually, it catches and eats unwitting loggers who let it sneak up on them.

Edit: I also like the deer stories. One of my all time favs was a free text about a deer stumbling up the street very clearly saying "BEEP BEEP BEEP" like a car being unlocked, followed by "Honey, I'm home!" over and over. That was the whole story, just a weird fucking deer stumbling up the street and talking to itself. 10/10 would gladly read again.

I like that Japanese foot that slams into buildings and demands you wash it

That's definitely a bad idea to invite them to tea:

1. They know you saw them
2. They've got permission to enter you house
3. You are giving them food!!

It sound like a recipe to get your daughter stolen from you, or to have your house falling down on your head, or losing your mind or straight being skinned you and your family.

Carefully go back so they don't know you saw them.
Do not ever speak to this to anyone, not to your parent, your neighbour, your child not to your SO, not on the internet or your diary and lets hope you don't speak in your dream.

why have I never encountered the word 'cryptid' until 2024, specifically in meme form, multiple times? Odd thing. tf are the kids up to these days

America's got some goofy cryptids too. Like the hugag. A large, moose-like fearsome critter with a big floppy upper lip and no elbows or knees. Unable to lay down or kneel, it can only eat bark from trees around the height of its head, and it can't lay down to sleep so it leans against trees, sometimes causing the tree to lean.

Brazilians with our cryptids:

Jackalope: Am I a joke to you? I hope so. It's kind of my thing.

This stereotype is just based on Europeans exoticising native American culture

Wow. It's almost as if America was built on native American burial grounds with all the accompanying curses.

The squonk isn't scary, just sad.

Bigfoot doesn't seem so bad.

Americans with Cryptids:

I guess you've never heard of German cryptids... Or Polish cryptids... Oooor Nordic cryptids...

If any cryptid out there actually exists, my bet is on bigfoot just because it would be the most mundane, boring thing to be proven real. Just a big ape? Fuck that. I want the Dover Demon to be real because it's actually interesting.

MOTHMAN MOTHMAN

I keep trying to make friends with skinwalkers but they run away when I try to hug them.

M14 with what looks like a 10 round mag using a cheap 10x60 optic? You are most likely a Californian or Canadian using an ineffective firearm against cryptids.

Real Americans use a drum fed semi-auto shotgun loaded P++ .50 caliber deer slugs or a 30-06 cal AR-10 with 25 round mag using a magnified Trijicon optic.

How about Australian cryptids?