Krampusnacht: The Origin Story
- taylorkateoakley
- 1 hour ago
- 2 min read
Have you ever heard of Krampusnacht? Do you know what it is? More importantly, do you know how it came to be?
If you're anything like me then you've never heard of this strange holiday until now.
What Is It?
Krampusnacht is a holiday that is celebrated throughout Europe, most commonly in the Alpine region, on December 5th. It is believed that Krampus, a goat like demon who is often seen as a dark alternative to Santa Claus, comes at night and whips all of the people, children in particular, who have been bad that year.
How Is It Celebrated?
Krampusnacht is celebrated in two common ways. In the first and less violent way, children set out their shoes for Krampus to leave a treat or a rod in. They receive a treat if they've been good and they receive a rod if they've been bad. The second way is called Krampuslauf which translates to Krampus run. In this tradition, people dress up like Krampus and chase others through the streets poking them with sticks and carrying cowbells to create a lot of noise.
How Did It Come To Be?
For the last and most important question, we have to travel back almost two thousand years. But first we must know who Krampus is. Krampus is a mythological figure that historians believe can be traced back to pre-Christian ritual, known as Yule or Winter Solstice, in the Alpine region. He is believed to be the son of Hel or Hela, the Norse god of the underworld, and was an important part in the Pagan winter solstice celebration. The Winter Solstice was thought to bring 13 days of evils and bad luck and Krampus, with his scary appearance and loud bell, was thought to help ward off these evils.
Throughout time and different societies, Krampus's warding off evil came to be associated with beating naughty children because it kept them from misbehaving. During the 1500's after Krampus's roles changed, historians aren't really sure when the shift happened, St. Nicholas' Day came into existence. Because St. Nicholas gave out toys to kids who behaved, Krampus evolved to come to kidnap and punish kids who misbehaved. In his new role, Krampus is still used as a reminder to kids to behave and listen to their parents.
The modern festivities came about as a way to celebrate the dark holiday in its modern form. Krampuslauf was a more lighthearted and family friendly way of celebrating Krampusnacht. Leaving shoes out for Krampus was a likening to a St. Nicholas Day tradition, which is likely to keep the two traditions linked. Some people also send out cards called Krampuskarten to friends and family and others leave out gingerbread cookies and cider to attempt to keep Krampus from coming inside and stealing the children.