December 5. The Eve of St. Nicholas Day. Krampusnacht.
Centuries before parents reined in children with a gentle reminder that Santa knows whether they’ve been naughty or nice, recalcitrant young ones lay awake in a widening pool of sweat at the sound of distant cowbells, wondering if it was too late to repent.
On the night of December 5, St. Nicholas’ dark helper, the horned, hairy and horrendously long-tongued Krampus, emerges from his Alpine domain to dole out corporal punishment to deserving youngsters. This comes in the form of a sound beating with a switch and, in more extreme circumstances, the threat of abduction, being carried off in a basket and tossed into hellfire. For under-aged miscreants of yore, the clank of rusty chains and the dull clap of ponderous bells heralded the arrival of a world of pain.
Besides visiting homes and fulfilling his stern duty, Krampus ran the streets spreading fear amongst the populace and frightening off evil spirits. Perhaps as a backlash against the genial homogenization and commercialization of Christmas, the “Krampuslauf” has been experiencing a healthy revival in recent years, with alcohol-fueled hooligans prowling the streets in full Krampus regalia, often turning on the very crowds that have gathered to support them.
However, I have to wonder, with the precipitous increase in Krampus merchandise, and now the release of a major motion picture, if Krampus himself doesn’t risk losing his teeth. Can endorsements for Coca-Cola be far behind?
“A Krampus Carol” (incorporating a stop motion Krampus!):
Family-friendly segment on the Krampus Renaissance in Bavaria, produced by The New York Times:
A real, old-fashioned Krampuslauf:
Pretty good Krampus carol (full text when you click on “show more”):
Here comes Krampus:
Nicholas and Krampus play “good cop/bad cop” with Tobias:
Small child cowers behind door at 1:25:
Academy Award-winner Christoph Waltz explains Krampus to Jimmy Fallon:
The commercialization of Krampus:
Happy holidays!
