Christmas is usually associated with warmth and cheer in the U.S. but in some regions of the world there are far darker undertones to the holiday. Many of these more frightening Christmas traditions center on the legend of the creature known as Krampus. In many American descriptions of Santa Claus or St. Nicholas, it is said that good children will receive gifts while bad children get lumps of coal. According to several passages in the book “Mountain Magic: Celtic Shamanism in the Austrian Alps,” author Christian Brunner explains how the legends involving Krampus state that St. Nicholas only deals with nice children and leaves the naughty ones for Krampus. Krampus is generally depicted as a large creature mixed between a goat and man with fangs and a drooping tongue that carries chains adorned with bells and a bundle of birch branches used to beat children. There are even some variations of the legend that have Krampus with a basket or bag on his back meant to take bad children away to either be eaten or dragged into hell.
In the Christian religion, the Feast of St. Nicholas is celebrated on Dec. 6 but in some parts of Europe the night prior is known as Krampusnacht or Krampus night. This is supposedly the time when Krampus accompanies St. Nicholas to the homes of children and frightens them into behaving.
The Krampus legend has been caricatured since its early origins. Some versions depict the figure as more comical than ferocious. There were even greeting cards in some regions of Europe featuring Krampus known as Krampuskarten. Krampuskarten is still a popular tradition today in parts of Europe with people still making and sending cards featuring Krampus with a hearty greeting from the beast himself.
One of the most prominent celebrations of the Krampus legend is the annual Krampuslauf (Krampus run) parades held in various villages in Eastern Europe. Young men dress in elaborate Krampus costumes and display them in the streets of their villages. These displays look more like Halloween parades than a celebration of the Christmas season. Some of the parades also include the Krampus entourage of “wild men,” which are essentially the equivalent to Santa Claus’ elves. They are meant to assist Krampus in punishing and capturing of children. These Krampus runs have also made an impact in the U.S. with several celebrations cropping up in Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco.