Episode 28 - Holiday Oddities: Krampus

Christmas is the time of giving, the time of cheer, a great festive holiday where trees are decorated, lights are hung, and chestnuts are roasted by an open fire. Christmas is a time of merry gentlemen, eggnog, rewatching Christmas Vacation for the 1000000 times, spreading time with family, and yeah also that big guy in the red.

Santa, Old St. Nicholas, Kris Kringle, Papa Noel, no matter what you call him or where you are from, the legend of a man building toys and delivering them to children on Christmas Eve is one that is a staple of Holiday legends. Some stories have the elves and reindeer that live at the north pole like the Tim Allen Santa Clause movies. Some show a more humble approach to the folklore of Santa with the holiday favorite Santa Claus is coming to town. No matter the story of good old saint nick that you enjoying during the wintertime the story of a large man in red squeezing down your chimney to drop gifts for all of the good little boys and girls of the world there is a story that turns the jolly story of Santa on its head. And it starts in Germany and the Alpine region.

While good Kris Kringle was out putting smiles on the faces of the young children of the world giving them small gifts and, well I know his story, another was out doing the complete opposite. Created as the counterpart to the kindly St. Nick who was out delivering sweets and treats to the good, his opposite was out dealing with the naughty kids.

His name was Krampus.

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Resources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krampus

https://www.history.com/news/krampus-christmas-legend-origin

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Krampus

Music Credit--- Theme- Elizabeth Weyers