Apparently created to strike terror in the hearts and minds of small children — and quite a few adults, too — Krampus traditionally carries a ruten bundle, or birch rod, to whip those who have misbehaved and chains to bind those who have strayed from the straight and narrow.
Nicholas rewards nice children by leaving presents, Krampus beats those who are naughty with branches and sticks. In some cases, he is said to eat them or take them to hell. On December 6, St. Nicholas Day, children awaken to find their gifts or nurse their injuries.
Many of these postcards depicted Krampus going after children with his sticks, leading them away in chains, or carrying them off in his bag. There were also cards that were a little more…adult. Krampus cards in the early 20th century show him punishing children, yes, but also proposing to women.
According to traditional narratives of Alpine folklore, the Krampus would enter the towns, lashing his chains and bells, to capture the bad children in a basket and bring them down to the underworld.
Typically, children leave their shoes out on their home's front porch on this night, because on St. Nicholas Day they would wake up to find sweets and other treats in their shoes if they were good.
In essence, Krampus is the bad cop to Santa's good cop, Collins said. Krampus would often target children who behaved badly, hitting them with a tree branch known as a "switch," or even kidnapping them in a basket.
Unlike Santa Claus and the elves, Krampus is not made of flesh and blood. In fact, he probably eats flesh and blood for breakfast. Rawr! Krampus is known to be a creature of half goat / half demon makeup.
The classic horned and furry Krampus carries birch branches and wears a cowbell. Children by tradition can appease the Krampus with a little song and dance if they don't want to wind up beaten with a stick and tossed in his sack.
In the second way of viewing the ending, Max and family are not restored but trapped, forever stuck in a loop of waking up on Christmas morning, surrounded by people they don't actually like.
Max sincerely apologizes for losing his spirit; although Krampus seems to accept his apology, he still tosses Max in as well. Max awakens in his bed on Christmas morning and discovers his family alive and well downstairs, concluding what happened was just a nightmare.
Krampusnacht (Krampus night) starts things off on December 5th, the eve of St. Nicholas day. Traditionally, on this suspenseful evening, children would leave a shoe outside their door. The next morning, they would get their first warning - if they'd behaved, their shoe would be full of presents left by the Saint.
He beats children with birch branches or kidnaps them in his sack and takes them to his lair. Krampus' original, pre-Christian incarnation may have been intended to watch over humans and protect them, scaring away bad ghosts and helping people overcome fear, similar to the Austrian character Perchta.
In Krampus (2015) You never see the demon's face as he's actually wearing a flesh mask to appear more like Santa Claus (Or as an insult to Santa Claus)
The fact that the Krampus can be heard before he can be seen makes him even more frightening — replacing the joyful sound of sleigh bells with something far more sinister: the menacing clanking of rusty chains accompanied by the eerie tinkling of cowbells.
He is usually drawn covered in black or brown hair and has a dominating presence, towering over humans at 8 or 9 feet tall. Krampus also came to represent the oncoming dark nights and the difficulty of surviving the Alps in the frigid winter. The name itself comes from the German word krampen, which means claw.
However, while Max's sacrifice is redemptive, it's not really rewarded, and Krampus ultimately offers neither grace nor mercy in a Twilight Zone ending. Also, no higher being intervenes to forgive the family before or during that ending. This is, of course, contrary to the Gospel.
Taken this way, the ending of the movie is a happy one. The snow globe may also be interpreted as a prison for Max and his family for losing their Christmas spirit. However, it is most likely a happy ending since Omi had a similar experience and didn't end up in a snow globe.
Players can hide under tables, as Krampus is too tall and stiff to crawl under them. These tables are easy to find, but be wary of Krampus' hit-box. You may also try to hide behind the large couch so that he doesn't see you.
Appropriate for kids who can handle a little violence! I am a christian mom with a 10, 12, and 14 year old. Trust me, some times they can get a little crazy! But my 12 and 14 year olds could handle this movie!
While preparing for a busy Christmas, Santa Claus discovers that all of his elves and his wife have turned into zombies after one of the infected elves dies following a fit of rage. He manages to kill them all, but is then forced to fight against Krampus.
Towards the end, Krampus threw Max into a fiery pit and didn't release his family to punish them all for losing the Christmas spirit. As Omi explained, Krampus only came to punish. He didn't come to give, but to take.
“To be Krampus requires bells and chains. Bells signal his arrival, and chains symbolically bind him to the Catholic Church. He is, after all, St. Nicolas's hellish minion.”
On the cards, Krampus traditionally has a long tongue that sometimes lolls halfway down his chest, and sports one human foot and one cloven hoof—no one is entirely sure why.
Krampus is rated PG-13 by the MPAA for sequences of horror violence/terror, language and some drug material. Violence: Characters are in constant peril from scary creatures. Disturbing, ghoulish imagery will likely scare young viewers.
