I Love Me Some Krampus

December 5 is the evening on which parts of Germany and Bavaria celebrate Krampusnacht, which is most likely a throwback to a pre-Christian tradition.

While the men parade around dressed as creepy demons, the women get to have some fun too, wearing masks and representing Frau Perchta, a Nordic figure that may have been an aspect of Freyja, the fertility and war goddess. Interestingly, in the Pennsylvania Dutch community, there's a character called Pelsnickel or Belznickel who is an awful lot like Krampus, so it appears that the tradition migrated across the water when Germans settled in America.

Krampus.com, which calls itself the official home of "Krampus, the holiday devil," calls Krampus a "dark counterpart of Saint Nicholas, the traditional European gift-bringer who visits on his holy day of December 6th. The bishop-garbed St. Nicholas rewards good kids with gifts and treats; unlike the archetypal Santa, however, St. Nicholas never punishes naughty children, parceling out this task to a ghastly helper from below."

https://www.learnreligions.com/beware-the-krampus-2563016

 

These two are involved in some evil ass shit.

 

 

 

https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/71999/9-facts-about-krampus-st-nicks-demonic-companion

2. December 5 belongs to Krampus. If you survive, you might get presents.

December 5 is Krampusnacht, when Krampus reigns. In the real world, people might attend Krampus balls, or young men from the local Krampusgruppe might don carved wooden masks, cowbells, chains, and elaborate costumes to run through town in a Krampuslauf (Krampus run), frightening and sometimes beating bystanders. According to legend, Krampus will spend the night visiting each house. He might leave bundles of sticks for bad children—or he might just hit them with the sticks instead. He might toss them into a sack or basket on his back and then throw it in a stream, or he might straight-up take them to hell.

The next day, though, is Nikolastaug, St. Nicholas' Day—the same St. Nicholas whose Dutch name, Sinterklass, evolved into “Santa Claus.” In other words, it’s time for presents for all the little girls and boys … that is, all the ones who haven’t already been beaten, damned, or drowned.

 

 

 

At my very first Krampusnacht I watched the torches and watched the Krampus grab my sister and my mother and stuffing them in a cage on a horse pulled wagon. I thought my sister was gone but my Dad convinced me that I would miss my Mother if we didn't follow the wagon and retrieve them. The evening started well but turned into a chore. I was so annoyed that my sister had to be rescued that I no long feared the guy's in the Krampus costumes. Just more faux pagan bullshit without the balls to really carry certain children to Hell. Let's say TWO a season. Enough to keep your rep as the dark enforcers of the yuletide spirit of suffering and disappointment. It was then I only could admire them from afar because in the end they are just guys in scary costumes who come out one night a year to march through the streets pretending to terrify children. And Krampus is my very favorite thing ABOUT Christmas.