Krampus
The Yule Lord
by Barby
As we approach the incoming holiday season, a few key things almost immediately come to mind. Toys, stockings, lights, Santa Claus… snow so heavy you can barely see anything outside your window. By now, you might’ve even heard of Santa Claus’s so called “evil twin,” Krampus the Yule Lord. A movie was made about the beast himself in 2015, after all, and despite it flopping on a good amount of review sites… it certainly lent Krampus a degree of notoriety. But if you dare to look beyond the film, or any reference to Krampus in today’s popular culture, you’ll find a series of horrific legends all based upon the alleged existence of such a creature. Krampus indeed has a rich history behind him, and it isn’t quite as jolly as that of Saint Nick’s.
The origins of the legend of Krampus have been traced back to pre-Christian traditions. He has frequently been paired alongside Saint Nicholas, although the two are realistically nothing alike. Whereas good old Santa Claus provides gifts, toys, and wonders to children who have behaved like little angels throughout the year; Krampus is something of the opposite. Krampus is said to have punished naughty or misbehaved children with birch rods. In many European countries, Krampus is feared just as Santa is loved. One piece of folklore states that on the 5th of December, Santa visits homes alongside Krampus, therefore setting both a mood of excitement and foreboding.
What does Krampus look like? Surely, the Christmas devil must have some sort of horrific appearance if he is going to strike fear into the hearts of so many children. He is said to have a half-goat, half-man type appearance, and seeing hoof prints in the snow could be a sure signal of his presence. He is typically depicted as being covered in black or brown fur, and possessing horns as well as a long and pointed tongue. Like Jacob Marley, the sounds of chains dangling can be a herald of Krampus’s arrival, as he carries chains to symbolize the binding of Lucifer himself. In some interpretations of Krampus, the birch branches he carries are replaced with whips, patiently awaiting their usage on misbehaved children.
Taking into account his tendency to whip kids into shape with his birch branches, Krampus has been known to resort to even worse forms of punishment if the situation calls for stronger consequences. In many depictions of the horned beast himself, he is carrying a gigantic bag upon his back. What is in this bag? Well, children. Naughty, wayward, malevolent little kids. And what is he going to do with them? Well, whether he beats them, drowns them, devours them, or sends them through a one way portal to hell… let’s just say their souls will no longer be of the Earth. Depending on which depiction of Krampus is being looked at, he can range from a small terror to an omen of untimely demise. Either way, it is one form of scaring children into staying well behaved.
On December 5th of every year, the day preceding the December 6th Feast of St. Nicholas, Krampusnaucht takes place. Also called “Krampus Night,” this is a prevalent event in many European countries, and is said to be the evening in which Krampus takes to the streets alongside Santa Claus. Santa will deal with the good children, but the bad children are at the mercy of Krampus, dealer of the coal as well as the beatings.
Since the 19th century, greeting cards displaying Krampus have been traded amongst European citizens. The cards often feature jokes or some other form of humor, and can include loathsome images of Krampus terrorizing children. More modernized versions of the greeting cards feature a more Cherubic looking Krampus, and focus more on making him appear oddly adorable rather than absolutely horrendous.
Although the legend of Krampus has been making waves in Europe for quite some time now, especially in places like Austria, it is only recently that the stories surrounding the beast have become popularized in the region of North America. The Krampus craze is only getting larger, prompting the creature to make multiple appearances in films, literature, and events throughout America. For instance, in 2012, author and artist Gerald Brom published a horror novel titled “Krampus: The Yule Lord.” Additionally, as priorly stated, a black comedy/horror film titled Krampus was released in 2015 through Universal Pictures. Krampus has also been referenced in a growing variety of TV shows, such as American Dad, and video games, such as The Binding of Issac.
Although the Yuletide season is intended to be a time of love, of giving, and of joy- it can be fun to add a little bit of fear and spooky fun into the mix. The legend of Krampus has withstood the test of time, and let’s us know that not all can always be so jolly and bright. Is he a devil, a spirit, Saint Nick’s evil twin? All of this may be up for interpretation, but one thing is for certain; you don’t want to end up in his bag.
Happy Holidays from all of us at Spooky Chick!