Have You Been Good, Children?

Did any annoying brats vanish from your street between the 5 and 6 December? If so, the Krampus may have come calling.

In the Germanic tradition, the monster is Santa’s malevolent counterpart. St Nicholas, known as Santa Claus, leaves sweets in children’s shoes or stockings. In the run-up to Christmas, parents threaten misbehaving children with the tale that Krampus may replace their ration of sweets with a lump of coal in the night.

Some towns in Germany or Austria celebrate Krampus Night, when masked, horned figures in hairy costumes parade through the streets lashing out at passers-by with bunches of twigs. The procession gives credence to the even scarier tale that the Krampus puts bad children in his sack — never to be seen again.

Just ask a 5 or 6 year old German child if Santa and the Krampus are real.