Krampus

Krampus originated as a Germanic pagan tradition that used Old Man Winter and a horned Goat-Man, precursors to St. Nicholas and Krampus. As the counterpart to St. Nicholas, Krampus gives out punishment to the wicked kids. He's also said to be the son of Hel, the Norse goddess of the dead. 

Krampus is celebrated on December 5, the eve of St. Nicholas's day. This holiday is known as Krampusnacht (Krampus night).

Krampus is most often used as the "evil Santa" in media and pop culture today, which it how it was used in the Supernatural episode "A Very Supernatural Christmas" (S3E8).

Although this isn't technically an urban legend, but I thought it was a good legend for Christmas. 

Information and Variations on Krampus

Where Krampusnacht is celebrated

  • Germany
  • Austria
  • Hungary
  • Slovenia
  • Czech Republic
  • Northern Italy
  • Finland
  • France

How Krampusnacht is celebrated (usually called Krampus Run)

  • Adults dress up as witches, devils, or wild-men; drink schnapps; carry torches; scare children and other adults

Description

  • 7 feet tall, hairy with bulging eyes, whip-like tongue, pointed ears, horns, and mismatched feet (1 cloven, 1 bear-like claw)
  • Classic devil (horns, cloven hooves, monstrous tongue)
  • Ominous gentleman dressed in black
  • Hairy man-beast
  • Half-goat, half-demon
  • Long-horned, shaggy, goat-like monster with an angry face and a long, forked tongue

What Krampus carries

  • Pitchfork
  • Birch swatches
  • Horsehair
  • Loud bells

Punishment given to bad children

  • Spanked
  • Whipped with birch swatch or horsehair
  • Shackled in basket, or sack, and dumped in his lair (aka hell) for 1 year, or until they're repentant 
  • Rusty chains
  • Dragged to hell
  • Beaten
  • Kidnapped
  • Nightmares

Other Names

  • Knecht Ruprecht
  • Certa
  • Perchten
  • Black Peter
  • Schmutzle
  • Pelznickel
  • Klaubauf

Examples of Krampus in modern media

Movies
  • Krampus (2015)
  • Krampus: The Christmas Devil (2013)
TV Shows
  • Supernatural, "A Very Supernatural Christmas"
  • American Dad, "Minstrel Krampus"
  • The League, "A Krampus Carol"
  • Grimm, "Twelve Days of Krampus"
Books
  • Santa's Twin by Dean Koontz
  • Krampus: The Yule Lord by Gerald Brom


No comments:

Post a Comment