Austria Krampus Christmas

A half man half goat demon whose legend has been around since pagan times and whose krampus parade is one of europes most popular festivals. Krampus is traditionally one of the companions of saint nicholas the father christmas like figure who gifts presents in parts of central europe. The figures role is to scare and punish children.
austria krampus christmas

Originally thought to have come from the old pre christian myths involving beasts from the forest and creatures such as satyrs the krampus became linked with st nicholas in the middle ages.

Austria krampus christmas. This fearsome characters name is krampus. Every year during the weeks leading up to christmas krampus parades are held in the alpine villages of austria. Nicholas visited children to. While the tradition is over 1500 years old it is still practiced with much of its.

The krampus is an alarming looking creature which appears during the advent period in austria and sometimes in different versions in some other countries. Later they became part of christian traditions in which st. Nicks other bad boys have their origins in pagan celebrations of the winter solstice. In austria however the figure of the krampus has been part of pre christmas folklore for centuries with men in costumes roaming the streets to scare children and grownups from the end of.

Christmas may be jolly in north america but in the austrian alps a bonafide bad santa takes the stage every year.