Krampus, The Christmas Devil Who Brings Season’s Beatings
In recent years, Krampus has regained some status in the public sphere, thanks in part to the 2015 horror film starring Adam Scott. Still, you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone hoping to get a visit from this ghoulish anti-Claus.
Sean Gallup/Getty ImagesEach year, people living in the Austrian Alps attend the Krampus Parade — one of the biggest winter festivities in the region.
As the legend goes, Krampus is a devil with goats’ hooves, pointed horns, and a long, snake-like tongue who roams through the Tyrolean mountains in the Alps along with his perchten, an army of nasty, foul-tempered elves who delight in punishing children.
On the evening of Krampusnacht, or December 5, Krampus ventures home to home with his companion, St. Nicholas — yes, Santa apparently used to hang out with demons — doling out punishment to naughty children, miscreants, and drunks.
In many versions of the legend, Krampus carries with him a large bundle of branches which he uses to whip naughty children, presumably so that they might behave better in the next year. In some stories, though, Krampus kidnaps the misbehaving children — and they are never seen again.
Naturally, the threat of a visit from Krampus was offered up by parents who wanted to keep their kids in line.
Public DomainIn Alpine tradition, St. Nicholas didn’t bother with the naughty children. He gave gifts to good children, while Krampus was primarily in charge of the reprimanding.
As could be expected, Krampus was likely not a creation of Christians, but rather a long-held Pagan symbol that was later altered to fall more in line with Christian beliefs.
Perhaps the most convincing piece of evidence for this is the Krampus Parade itself, which traditionally saw people parading through the streets in the guise of Krampus and the perchten as a way to scare off evil Christmas spirits.
Even his name comes from the German word krampen, meaning “claw,” and his appearance bears a striking resemblance to descriptions of the son of the Norse goddess of the Underworld, Hel.
When Christianity swept through the Alps, many Pagan tales were reconstructed to suit Christian ideals, and it’s possible that the legend of Krampus was among them.
