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Krampus is Making a Christmas Comeback

By Alex in Christmas on Nov 30, 2009 at 7:15 pm


This Christmas, forget Santa. There’s a mythical creature that’s making a big comeback: the Krampus.

Popular in Alpine villages centuries ago, Krampus scared kids straight—his long red tongue upped the fear factor—and taught them that evil bows before good. He served Santa’s forerunner, kindly St. Nicholas, who had “the power to send Krampus back to hell,” says Austrian ethnologist Ulrike Kammerhofer-Aggermann. [...]

But by the 1800s, church leaders had marginalized Krampus. Now he’s enjoying a mini-revival, mainly for the fun of it. The Austrian state of Salzburg alone has 180 Krampus clubs, more than half set up since 1990, says Josef Moser, Jr., chairman of Austria’s Krampus Museum. Revelers roam streets in Krampus garb, rattle bells, and roar. “It feels good!” says Moser.

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COMMENT
  1. Gauldar
    Nov 30th, 2009 at 7:35 pm

    Bring on the bells, bring on the pain!

  2. pwscott
    Nov 30th, 2009 at 7:56 pm

    Think we can sign up Krampus for Festivus? :p

  3. Spaceball
    Nov 30th, 2009 at 10:13 pm

    The Krampus was not gone. At least not in Munich and the rural areas around. He is a normal guest on the 6th of december. He always shows up with his pal St. Nicolaus. St. Nicolaus is the good guy with the presents and the Krampus is the bad guy with the whip and the big bag where he puts the bad children.

    I can't confirm this report because in my childhood the Krampus was very present during the 80ies. Munich is just 2hours away from Salzburg.

    By the way. St. Nicolaus ain't Santa.

  4. harshpotatoes
    Dec 1st, 2009 at 2:27 am

    i think the only other place i've heard of krampus is the venture brothers christmas special. i like to think they brought it back.

  5. ByrdBrain
    Dec 1st, 2009 at 11:32 am

    By the way. St. Nicolaus ain't Santa.

    Maybe not where you're from.

  6. helen duong
    Dec 4th, 2009 at 11:59 am

    Alcohol fuelled violence by unruly youths would not be accepted in any other context. Why is "tradition" an acceptable excuse for publicly humiliating and assualting women?

  7. leigh247a
    Dec 22nd, 2009 at 11:54 am

    HILARIOUS video about the Christmas Krampus put out by an advertising agency for their Christmas video. Really well done, too -

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAGKOA3LmzI

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