Krampus

In the depths of winter, when frost covers windows and whispers fill the crisp, bone-chilling air, a sinister figure emerges. This being, known as Krampus, stands as the shadowy counterpart to the jovial St. Nicholas. With horns that pierce the night, cloven hooves that echo ominously, and chains that rattle like ghostly warnings, Krampus roams the edges of yuletide festivities. His mission: to seek out the wicked and the mischievous. As the snow falls gently, beware the icy grasp of Krampus, for he arrives not to reward but to punish. In the flickering candlelight, his malevolent presence serves as a bone-chilling reminder that the line between holiday cheer and chilling terror is dangerously thin. Things are about to get strange.

Transcript

In the depths of winter, when frost covers windows and whispers fill the crisp, bone-chilling air, a sinister figure emerges. This being, known as Krampus, stands as the shadowy counterpart to the jovial St. Nicholas. With horns that pierce the night, cloven hooves that echo ominously, and chains that rattle like ghostly warnings, Krampus roams the edges of yuletide festivities. His mission: to seek out the wicked and the mischievous. As the snow falls gently, beware the icy grasp of Krampus, for he arrives not to reward but to punish. In the flickering candlelight, his malevolent presence serves as a bone-chilling reminder that the line between holiday cheer and chilling terror is dangerously thin. Things are about to get strange.

The Krampus can appear in many variations. Most share the same characteristics. He is hairy, which is usually brown or black, and has horns and cloven hooves of a goat. He has a long, pointed tongue that lolls out, and he has fangs. Krampus carries chains. This is thought to symbolize the binding of the Devil by the Christian church. He usually thrashes the chains for dramatic effect. The chains are sometimes accompanied by bells of various sizes. One characteristic that is more pagan in origins is the Rute. The rute is a bundle of birch branches that Krampus carries and he occasionally swats children with it. The birch is replaced with a whip in some cases. Sometimes Krampus appears with a basket or sack strapped to his back. This is to carry off children for drowning, eating, or transporting to hell. 

So let’s talk a little about St. Nicholas. The real St. Nicholas was a Greek born bishop in the late 3rd century. He served in Myra, a small Roman town in what is now modern-day Turkey. He was known for his generosity and wealth. He developed a reputation for helping those in need. His most famous charitable act is a story about how he helped a poor man who had three daughters. The girls would not be able to get married without money for their dowries, and therefore were doomed to a life of slavery or prostitution. Legend has it that one night, Nicholas secretly dripped a bag of gold down the man's chimney. IT landed in a stocking that was hung by the fire to dry. This was for a dowry for the oldest daughter. Later, a second bag of gold came down the chimney, for the second daughter’s dowry. The man was so determined to find out who had given him the money. He had hid by the chimney every evening night waiting for the gold that would eventually come to save his youngest daughter. He finally caught Nicholas. Even though Nicholas asked the man to not say anything, word eventually got out around town. Any time someone got a secret gift, they believed it was Nicholas. It is hard to separate fact from fiction about Nicholas now because so many true stories about him are mixed with legend. It is known that he was a fierce defender of church doctrine during the Great Persecution in 303. This is when Bibles were burned and priests were forced to renounce Christianity or be put to death. Nicholas was very defiant. He spent many years in prison before Roman emperor Constantine ended the Christian persecution in 313. Nicholas’ Day is celebrated in his honor on December 6, which is the anniversary of his death. Children in Central Europe hang stockings or put their shoes out, hoping for a gift from Nicholas. 

So is Nicholas the same as Santa? Not really. Santa Claus is an American invention, a combination of European history and tradition along with American storytelling. This is the result of European immigrants sharing their traditions and blending them with the melting pot that is America in the 19th century. The American image of Santa comes primarily from the poem by Clement Clark Moore called “A Visit from St. Nicholas.” This poem describes St. Nicholas as a “jolly old elf” dressed in all fur. It explains him with a round belly, white beard, and rosy cheeks. This was the inspiration for Haddon Sundblom, an artist who created the modern image of Santa for Coke’s 1931 “thirst Knows No Season” campaign. This laid the foundation for the present day Santa. The name Santa Claus evolved from the Dutch nickname for Saint Nicholas, which is Sinterklaas. This is a shortened form of Sint Nikolaas.  Kris Kringle, the nickname for Santa, can be traced back to the German word Kristkindl or Christkindle. This translates to Christ Child. In Germany, the Christ Child is a gift-bearing angel, the spirit of Christmas, who delivers presents on Christmas.  This tradition was made popular by Martin Luther in the 16th century. 

The history of Krampus has been theorized as going back to pre-Christian Alpine traditions. Celebrations involving Krampus date back to the 6th or 7th century AD. There are no written sources before the 16th century. By the 17th century, Krampus had been incorporated into Christmas celebrations by pairing Krampus with St. Nicholas. Even with that, Krampus’ origins have nothing to do with Christmas. His name originates with the German krampen, which means claw. Tradition has it that he is the son Of the Norse god of the underworld, which is Hel. Krampus historically comes around on December 5th every year, tagging along with St. Nicholas. While St. Nick is putting candy in the shoes of good children and birch twigs in the show of those who are bad, Krampus’ particular specialty is punishing bad children. It is said that throughout the Christmas season, kids who are misbehaving are beaten with birch branches or can even disappear, stuffed into Krampus’ bag and carried off to his lair to be eaten or tortured. 

So what is keeping the tradition alive? The answer is Krampuslauf, which is translated literally to Krampus Run. They are normally held from mid-November to Mid-December, but a lot will take place on December 5th and 6th. The Krampus Runs take the form of parades, and the processions feature members of the local Krampus clubs or associations financed by local business sponsors. They dress in elaborate costumes, wearing hand-carved masks, shaggy pelts, and clanking cow bells. They run and stomp down the street. It is a very immersive experience. Performers often pull spectators into the procession, tussling their hair or swatting them with a switch made of birch sticks. The Krampus Run could be made up of 300 participants that are dressed up for a particular role. The Krampispassen each designates one person to carry a sign bearing the association’s name and locality. An example would be the Alt Gnigler Krampus Perchten Pass. Following that, the procession is led by St. Nicholas. Behind St. Nick lurked an array of Krampusse, which is the plural of Krampus, and Perchten. With these, there were Hexen, which are witches, and other Alpine folklore. Krampusse can be distinguished by masks bearing 2 horns. Perchten normally have 4-10 horns. It is a true work of art to make these costumes, and can cost up to 2500 Euro each. No two handcrafted wooden masks are exactly the same. Most are made using mostly natural materials such as driftwood, pine wood, animal teeth, and horse hair, alpine creature horns, and furs. Some of these masks are so lifelike that it is hard to tell that they aren’t real. 

FUN FACTS;

-During the 12th century, the Catholic Church attempted to ban Krampus celebrations because of his appearance to the Devil. More attempts were made in 1934 at the hands of Austria’s conservative Christian Social Party. 

-St. Nicholas is the protector of people in his Sainthood. This is from orphans, sailors, and prisoners.  

-There are other alternatives to St. Nicholas. One includes Grandfather Frost, also known as Grandfather Col, which originated from the pagan culture of the Eastern Slavs. IT was introduced to Yugoslavia by Russian communist society as a secular alternative to western beliefs. He is frequently depicted as a slim man wearing a long white coat and a brown furry Russian kucma hat. He hands out fits at New Year’s Eve gatherings. Sometimes Grandfather Frost gets confused with Father Christmas from Britain Father Christmas, who started out as a pagan bringer of spring. He is influenced first by a Viking invasion, and later by a Norman invasion. Father Christmas and other European Christmas characters share a lot of the same Characteristics. He is portrayed as an old man with a long white beard and blue hooded cloak. He gives out gifts to good children. 

-The annual Krampus runs and festival is fun, but there are some concerns that refugees in the Alpine towns that celebrate this tradition can get scared. There has been an influx of refugees from Syria and Afghanistan in the areas where this festival takes place. The town officials decided to explain the tradition to the new townspeople instead of canceling the parade. The refugee children were invited to Lienz  to see a presentation where they learned about the costumes, props, and customs of Krampus. 

-There are Krampus greeting cards. When the postcard industry boomed in Germany and Austria in the 1890’s, it opened a path for Krampuskarten. There are ones that state “Gruss vom Krampus” which translate to “Greetings from Krampus”. Many of the cards show Krampus stuffing distressed kids into his satchel, leading them away in chains or carrying them off in his bag. There are also more adult cards. In some cards, it shows Krampus proposing to women. In some cards, Krampus is portrayed as a large woman whipping small men with her birch sticks and carrying them off in her satchel. 

In the chilling embrace of winter, as the shadows grow long and frost laces the windows, Krampus is a dark reflection of the holiday season's cheer. His presence exists to punish and frighten those who have been naughty or wicked. With each echoing clank of chains and haunting rattle of bells, Krampus beckons us to explore the darker corners of folklore and tradition, challenging us to confront our own mischievous tendencies. So, as you embrace the festive spirit and gather with loved ones, let the legend of Krampus linger in the corners of your mind. 
Stay Weird Ya’ll.