Krampus: Santa’s little helper?
You’d be forgiven for mistaking Austrian ski resorts for the London Dungeon tonight. While we’re busy gobbling down choc-5 on the advent calendar, kids over there are bracing themselves for the scariest night of the year – tonight, demonic figures bent on punishing them will emerge from the shadows …
We know Mr Claus only delivers to good little boys and girls, but in pagan mythology he also enlists the help of a pretty terrifying assistant to punish the youngsters who make it onto the Naughty List.
Introducing Krampus:
Krampus spotted in Ischgl © Tourismusverband Panznaun
Not for the faint hearted, legend has it that in the dark of the night on the 5th of December the Krampus appears to snatch unruly children from their beds. He begins by whipping them with birch branches, hurls them screaming into a basket on his back (or his bathtub depending on who you ask) and ferries them, finally, to the underworld. Try looking at the photograph: his giant curved horns, clunking hooves, coarse black hair and blood-red tongue make the Grufallo look like the Christmas fairy. Austrian kids who’ve been a little less than angelic really ‘”better watch out” – not for Santa Claus, but for the foul-faced demon who’s “coming to town” with him…
A whole Krampus crew in Solden © Manfred Wegleiter and Krampusgruppe Haiming
Branching out from the Germanic countries of its origin, the Krampusnacht is now marked in many Austrian ski resorts including the every popular St Anton. There’s also continuing market for Krampus cards which tend to depict the gruesome character with the ominous caption “Brav Sein”, or, “Be Good”. Just imagine these lined up above your fireplace:
Krampus merrily raising his birch branch to strike…
Good cop & bad cop out together -Krampus with St. Nick.
Krampus with pigtailed captive.
Krampus enjoying a little sleighing… and child cargo.
Krampus waits for child to finish begging for mercy.
Growing up with the threat of the 5th of December every year, it’s no wonder Austrian children are so well-behaved…
Know a Brit-kid in need of some terror-based discipline? Please do Share!
Or encourage them to book a Christmas ski holiday in Austria 😉
(all cards from Cafepress)
