Whereas kids in North America hope they’ve been nice enough for a present from Santa this year, children in Austria have a little more to worry about. If you’ve been naughty, you’re getting more than coals in your stockings.
During Christmas in the Austria, Santa has a not-so-jolly sidekick. Krampus, your anti-Santa is the Christmas nightmare: he is half demon, half goat; a horned beast wearing black rags, with a long red tongue, fangs, and wild dark hair. If someone has been naughty – Krampus comes for them. The demon whips and beats unruly youngsters with bundles of birch sticks, and sometimes hauls them back to his dark lair in a sack to be tortured or eaten.
Despite his role in Christmas tradition, the legend of Krampus originates in pagan folklore, far before Christianity and the legend of Santa. In that era, stories of Krampus roaming the mountains kept children of the European Alpines in line throughout the year. His name comes from the German word krampen, meaning “claw,” and tradition says that he is the son of the Norse god of the underworld, Hel.
As the centuries passed, Christianity and a new myth arised: Saint Nicholas, who rewarded good children with gifts. People began to adopt the story of Santa and his reindeer, however, the old traditions and the legend of Krampus were not lost.
As it happens, the two legends fused. Krampus became part of the Christmas tradition in the Alps, where celebrations begin in early December. He was given a new role: not as the sole enforcer of naughty children, but a not-so-jolly sidekick to Saint Nicholas. He is the bad cop to Santa’s good cop. Santa leaves coal for naughty kids, whereas Krampus gives them punishment and misery. According to folklore, Krampus appears the night of December 5, known as Krampus Night, or Krampusnacht (equivalent to our Christmas eve). That night, Santa delivers presents in his sleigh, and Krampus roams the streets, scouting out all the naughty children and punishing them. The day after, December 6, is St. Nicholas Day (Nikolaustag) (equivalent to our Christmas Day), where children check if they received candy (for the nice) or birch twigs (for the naughty) from St. Nicholas in the shoe or boot they’d left out the night before.
These days, Austrians celebrate the legend of Krampus by keeping alive a centuries-old pagan tradition, the Krampuslauf, or Krampus Run. Formerly an pagan ritual meant to disperse ghosts of winter, today, it is a magnificent nocturnal parade of horrifyingly costumed men dressed as Krampus figures, often accompanied by heavy alcohol consumption. On the evening of December 5th (Krampusnacht) , young men dressed up in fur suits, horns and demonic masks parade through the streets scaring spectators with chains and whips and cowbells. Some of the marchers are acrobatic, tumbling through the air, some juggle their torches. Krampus festivals attract thousands of people in each city, with participants and spectators coming in from all over the nation to take part in the terror. (Here is a video, of Krampuslauf in Graz, Austria 2013)
For those of us who live in North America, consider ourselves lucky: we haven’t got a demon with a fondness for physical violence and kidnap to worry about during the holidays. But for kids in Austria, the legend of Krampus serves as a warning: that if you’re naughty this year, a goat-demon just might come beat you with bundles of birch sticks.
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Billock, Jennifer. “The Origin of Krampus, Europe’s Evil Twist on Santa.” Smithsonian.com, Smithsonian Institution, 4 Dec. 2015, www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/krampus-could-come-you-holiday-season-180957438/.
Charles, Megan. “Krampus: Austria’s Terrifying Christmas Tradition.” The Telegraph, Telegraph Media Group, 30 Nov. 2016, www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/11/27/krampus-austrias-terrifying-christmas-tradition/.
“Who Is Krampus? Explaining the Horrific Christmas Devil.” National Geographic, National Geographic Society, 1 Dec. 2017, news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/12/131217-krampus-christmas-santa-devil/.
“Your Guide to The 2017 Krampus Parade: Europe’s Creepiest, Coolest Festival.” TripSavvy, TripSavvy, www.tripsavvy.com/krampus-parade-in-austria-tyrolean-christmas-festival-4154986.