Creature Feature Friday: Krampus the Christmas Demon
It’s the holiday edition of Creature Feature Friday, featuring the merry and bright KRAMPUS.
Of all the epic duos in history ...Lewis and Clark, Batman and Robin, Holmes and Watson, Abbot and Costello, Garfield and Odie ... none could be a better team than jolly old Saint Nicholas and his faithful companion, the horrifying, child-beating goat-demon named Krampus! Who wouldn’t want that guy at their holiday party?!
1) While St. Nick brings the gifts to good girls and boys, Krampus brings the pain and damnation to the naughty ones. Hailing from Germanic and Austrian folklore, Krampus is a half-man, half-goat demon with a penchant for punishment. With a whip in one hand and a sack in the other, Krampus doles out swift justice by beating bad children, and then carting the truly wicked ones off to hell! If he’s feeling generous, Krampus may chose to tie up the children in his sack and throw them in a stream to drown. Or he’ll just eat them - after all, it’s the most wonderful time of the year!
2) So why is a creepy demon hybrid palling around with Santa? Originally, Krampus was a pagan creation, descended from the goddess Hel of Norse mythology. Krampus gets his name from the old German word “krampen,” meaning “claw.” Usually appearing in depictions with one clawed foot and one cloven hoof, Krampus also possesses long pointed goat horns, a forked tongue, and fangs. (Um, that sounds oddly familiar. Is there some other entity with horns, fangs, and goat hooves who loves spreading evil around? Hang on, it’ll come to me... ) Anyway, around the 17th century, Krampus was added as a counterpart to Good St. Nick, blending the heathen elements of the winter holidays into the Christian Christmas celebration. Krampus was also then depicted as bound with chains and bells, possibly as a way to symbolize the Christian Church binding up the Devil. So if you hear jingle bells dashing through the snow some December night, you might actually want to run the other way.
3) Every year on December 5, Krampus holds his reign of terror on the evening of Krampusnacht, when he beats, eats, and steals children all the livelong night. Kids who survive Krampus’ reaping are rewarded with gifts by St. Nicholas on the following day, Nikolaustag. Today, the legend of Krampus is still commemorated worldwide with parades, festivals, and even races. Because what would a Christmas celebration be without all the fear, pain, and snacking on children?
Scary Christmas, everyone!
