Krampus, in central European popular legend, a half-goat, half-demon monster that punishes misbehaving children at Christmastime. He is the devilish companion of St. Nicholas. Krampus is believed to have originated in Germany, and his name derives from the German word Krampen, which means “claw.”
The Krampus is a horned anthropomorphic figure who, in the Central and Eastern Alpine folkloric tradition, is said to accompany Saint Nicholas on visits to children during the night of 5 December (Krampusnacht; “Krampus Night”), immediately before the Feast of St. Nicholas on 6 December.
The legend of the Krampus dates back centuries, originating as a German Christmas tradition during the 12th century. Beginning in early December, the children of Germany would begin to hear whispers of a dark haired creature bearing horns and fangs, carrying a bundle of birch sticks used to swat naughty children.
Every year in early December, children in Germany and Austria anxiously prepare for a visit from St. Nicholas. Those who were good will be rewarded with presents and treats, but those who misbehaved will face his menacing partner, Krampus, the devilish figure who beats naughty children and drags them off to hell!
Nicholas are said to arrive on the evening of December 5 (Krampusnacht; “Krampus Night”). While St. 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.
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.
Anyone caught dressing up as a Krampus faced the death penalty because it was perceived as a devil figure.” Interestingly, the Nazis also banned Krampus for its pagan origins. More recently, concerns have been expressed in Austria about whether the tradition is appropriate for children.
Krampus is an anthropomorphic (which means being thought of as having a human form or attributes) figure with claws, horns, and a long tongue. He is depicted as a goat-like monster who punishes children for misbehaving in the run-up to Christmas, usually by swatting them and carrying them away in his sack.
Weihnachten (German: [ˈvaɪ̯naxtn̩]) is the observance of what is commonly known in English as Christmas in the German-speaking countries such as Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
In fact, he probably eats flesh and blood for breakfast. Rawr! Krampus is known to be a creature of half goat / half demon makeup. He's hairy, usually black or brown, has goat horns, a forked tongue, vicious sharp fangs, and, naturally, cloven hooves.
Krampusnacht takes place the day before the Feast of St. Nicholas. In many cities throughout Europe, men will dress up in costumes as Krampus and roam through the streets to frighten children. In some traditions, Krampus is also accompanied by an angel or fairy-like character, along with St.
In the weeks leading up to Christmas each year, parades are held throughout many of Austria's alpine villages in honor of Krampus, a demonic creature said to be the "evil twin" of St. Nicholas.
Krampus is perhaps the most feared creature in all Christmas folklore. Half-goat, half-demon, he's Santa's evil counterpart and punishes the naughty children, while Santa leaves gifts for the nice ones. But unlike Santa, he doesn't just appear on the 25th of December.
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.
There is no „Krampus day“. Krampus is not a common figure in German Christmas traditions. Krampus comes only in some mountain regions, mainly in Austria. However, there is a Krampus run at Munich's Marienplatz every year, organized by some private group.
So the story is told, St. Nicholas and Krampus visit children on the 5th night of December. Saint Nicholas rewards the well-behaved children with modest gifts such as oranges, dried fruit, walnuts and chocolate, whilst the badly behaved ones only receive punishment with birch rods.
The Krampus run actually dates back some 500 years to a tradition from the Alpine regions. In the 16th century, the “Klabaufs” would march through villages on the eve of St. Nicholas Day, scaring children who misbehaved with whips and ropes, while the kind St.
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.
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.
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.
There is an appropriate blend of comedy and horror, which is seen in the absurdity of characters, evil gingerbread men, and killer toys, not so much the written dialogue.
If you can keep your distance at a ranged position, like on the roof or a second level, you can eliminate him quickly. Krampus's attacks aren't anything special, but he will be unrelenting when he gets close enough to start hitting you with his pickaxe.
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.
