25 Terrifying Facts About Krampus To Give You Nightmares!

Found primarily in Austria and across the German-speaking Alpine region, Krampus is a demonic character strongly resembling that of Satan, and is a crucial part of the holiday season.

The day after Krampusnacht is Nikolastaug, or St. Nicholas’ Day. This is the very same St. Nicholas whose Dutch name, Sinterklass, evolved into Santa Claus. So, for those children who survived the night of Krampus, presents can be enjoyed the next day.

December 5^th is Krampusnacht, a day dedicated to Krampus. Today, that usually looks like men and boys dressing up in masks and costumes to run through the town in a Krampuslauf (Krampus run), but the legend tells of a night of terror when Krampus would visit each house. Sometimes, he would leave a bundle of sticks for naughty children. And sometimes he would beat them with it.

Krampus brings a kind of a yin-yang balance to Christmas as St. Nick’s dark companion. He was originally a pagan creation, thought to be the son of Hel from Norse mythology. But since the 17^th century, the two have been linked during the holiday. Traditionally, costumed figures of the two visit houses together on Krampusnacht—St. Nick brings the gifts, Krampus brings the pain.

Krampuslaufs can be dangerous places if you don’t know what to expect. The demon of legend would whip people with his birch bundle, and the costumers don’t hold back either. Onlookers have been terrorized and ended up being chased and gone home with bruised shins. But it’s all in good fun, right? At least they only go for the legs.

Krampus costumes vary, but usually revolve around something like a devil, bats, or goats. The demon is said to have protruding horns and a long tongue. He also sports one human foot and one cloven foot, and no one is entirely sure why.

To remind children to stay on their best behavior during the year, some people decorate their houses with a bundle of golden birch twigs.

When Austria was under Fascist rule between 1934 and 1938, Krampus was banned. Seen as symbol of sin, anti-Christian ideals, and Social Democrats, the government forbade Krampus dances and pledged to arrest costumers if seen.

A lot of effort goes into the Krampus costumes each year, especially the masks. They are usually hand carved from wood by specialist artisans. Antique Krampus masks can even be found in museums across Europe.

For revelers who wish Halloween was celebrated longer, take heart—the U.S. and Canada have a burgeoning Krampus scene across its major cities. Los Angeles holds traditional Krampuslaufs, and the Morbid Anatomy Museum in Brooklyn hosts a yearly Krampus themed costume party, just to name a few.

Krampus has been featured in several different forms of media across the times. One rather unflattering version was as a boss in an arcade game called CarnEvil. The game itself was odd and just not very good, so Krampus came across more cartoony than evil, saying things like “I’ll stuff YOUR stocking!”

As if Krampus weren’t scary enough on his own, some stories feature him traveling with a big old evil family. Though a group of demons stalking your town is nothing to laugh at, some of their names are just downright hilarious. “The Door Slammer,” “The Window Peeper,” “The Sausage Snatcher,” and “The Doorway Sniffer” are just a few of the 13 evil cohorts than hang out with Krampus.

Krampus first made a prominent appearance in the 17th century. However, it has been researched that he was first spoken about and even worshiped by a pre-Christian pagan religions.

Unlike Satan, who he bears a strong resemblance to, Krampus is no fallen angel. Though his stories all vary, they seem to agree on the fact that he is need a demon from Hell, and delights in bringing people back with him.

Though an icon of German folklore for longer than any can remember, Krampus is hitting the modern scene with all this demonic power. He’s appeared on several television shows like Supernatural, Venture Brothers, Grimm, American Dad and even the Colbert Report.

To take the edge of that terrifying visage, Krampus can found on the front of comical Christmas cards, and even if the form chocolate figures sold during the holiday.

Most Christmas cards feature families with ugly holiday sweaters, or some sweet, picturesque scene, but you’ll find something quite different in Austria, Germany, and other parts of the Alpine region of Europe. Krampus cards have been a tradition for some time, depicting images of the demon stuffing children into sacks or whipping them with chains. From ours to yours!

The idea of Krampus stealing away children to the underworld may actually come from the time when Moors raided European coasts and abducted people into slavery, which was very much its own kind of hell.

Offering an angry Krampus a drink may just save your soul from eternal damnation. Naturally, he likes the good stuff, and it is customary to leave out a goblet of schnapps for him. Leave the sweet stuff for Santa, Krampus is obviously too sophisticated for cookies.

In some tales, Krampus doesn’t just have a hunger for children. He will target women and have his way with them, too!

Krampus costumes can take on many different forms depending on which region you are celebrating in. In the state of Tyrol, Austria, Krampus’ appear as massive straw suits. In Berchtesgaden, Bavaria, there is another straw Krampus who goes by the name Buttnmandln.

At one point in the Alpine region of Germany, there was even a female version of Krampus, a witch called Frau Perchta. Like Krampus, she dealt punishment to those deserving around the holiday season.

Krampus’s name is derived from the German word “krampen,” meaning claw.

The Krampus has had a resurgence in popularity in the last few years. He had his own movie (Krampus, 2015) and even his own comic book series (Krampus!).

With the recent surge of Syrian and Afgani refugees, locals of the Alpine towns that celebrate Krampus were concerned their new neighbors might be scared or offended by the tradition. Before scheduled festivities took off, refugee children in Lienz were invited to a presentation about Krampus to educate them about the costumes and origins.