As we enter the holiday season, we get that warm and cozy feeling, thinking of friends and family, hot chocolate, yummy food, and gifts. For the kids, Santa Claus is a reminder that good boys and girls get rewarded when they’ve behaved all year, and for those of us living in the United States, the worst thing we have to worry about is being put on Santa’s naughty list. However, things are not all happy, cheery, and bright when you get to Europe. Sure, they celebrate in a similar fashion, but Santa’s naughty list is the least of their worries. In Europe, the naughty have to face Krampus.
Krampus appears as a goat-like demon. His body is covered in dark coarse fur. Giant devilish horns curl up from his head. He has eyes that are bloodshot and his serpent-like tongue hangs down from between long, sharp fangs. His body is strung with chains and bells. He carries a bundle of birch sticks and a large sack, ready to cart off the bad children.
Krampus comes to town on the evening of Krampusnacht, December 5, the night before the Feast of Saint Nicholas, Nikolaustag. On Nikolaustag, children look outside their door to see if the shoe or boot they left out the night before contains presents. Just like Christmas eve, on Krampusnacht, Saint. Nicholas makes his rounds from house to house, filling boots or shoes with gifts for the good, coal for the naughty. When Krampus comes through and finds that lump of coal, he has an entirely different kind of “gift” for the recipient.
Those lucky enough to be mildly naughty might walk away with little more than a swat with a birch branch. Most, however, get a decent beating. And then there’s those for which a beating just won’t do. They are stuffed away in Krampus’ sack and carried away. Legends suggest these children are drowned in a river, dropped off in Hell, or taken back to his lair where they simply become a snack.
The legend of Krampus has roots in pre-Germanic paganism. His name is derived from the German word krampen which means “claw,” and he is believed to be the son of Hel, the Norse god of the underworld. Today, Krampus is both feared and beloved. In the Alpine region of Austria and some parts of Germany, some men dressed in beautiful garb as Saint Nick, making the rounds to local homes and businesses with gifts, while others don dark, hairy costumes with elaborately carved masks, to terrorize the children.
On December 5, these men, dressed as Krampus, drink heavily and take to the streets for a Krampuslauf, or “Krampus Run.” People are chased through the streets and in some cases, given a swat here or there with a birch stick.
Whether you celebrate Krampusnacht or not, there are also greeting cards for everyone, depicting the devilish beast, stuffing a child into his sack, beating children with his sticks, or even leading them away in chains. While this “darker” side of the holiday season may not make you feel warm and fuzzy, you probably won’t forget that he’s always watching.
In Europe, kids are warned about Krampus. Up north, kids have Qalupalik.
