Krampus Is Coming To Town

Beware! It's Christmas time and besides the fat. old guy (No not me, I refer instead to that Santa Clause fellow) who spreads good cheer and gifts to everyone, there is his alter ego, Krampus Claus.  Krampus is the mean version/companion of St. Nicholas, aka Santa Claus, who rewards good children each year with those toys that soon litter the house. Our much loved Ho Ho Santa doesn't like punishing the bad ones among us, so legend has it kindly old Saint Nick leaves the task of punishing bad children to his enforcer, Krampus. I wonder if Santa watches too many Godfather films?

Krampus goes by many names there's, Ruprecht, Certa, Perchten, Black Peter, Schmutzli, Pelznickel, Klaubauf, and the most recognizable... Krampus.  He's usually seen as as our traditional devil........... with horns, hooves and monstrous tongue, sort of am imitation of that rock band Kiss, I guess. I haven't met Krampus personally, but I am probably on his hit list, I'll so leave the negative descriptions of him at that.  When Krampus thinks you might recognize him he avoid detection by changing his look, instead dressing as a man in black or as a hairy man beast. And what does Krampus do?  He punishes the naughty children, swatting them with switches and rusty chains before dragging them in baskets to a fiery place below. It's a real Christmas in Hell for those victims.

Krampus was born and promoted in Austria, the same place that gave the world Hitler. So much for Austria. In Austria and in other Northern European countries Krampus parties are a kind of sordid, wild teen frat style party of sex, booze and drugs. I suppose you could find that punk kid Justin Beiber at one of those Krampus parties. But I guess they don't serve egg nog at those parties, meaning Krampus isn't so bad after all.  He keeps that brat Beiber occupied and away from us, and he discourages egg nog consumption. Think of Santa as God and Krampus as the devil and you get the idea.

In researching the growing Krampus attention I found that there are many Krampus events in many cities here in the U.S. and abroad. Hmmmmm This may reflect the decline of civilization today, or perhaps it's just a place for politicians to have fun in December. The desire for people to add  a darker Xmas holiday has made the evil  aspect of Santa Claus more evident.  Movies like 'Nightmare Before Christmas', books like ' Santa's Twin' or  'Krampus: The Christmas Devil' and the increasing numbers of people in flash mobs dressed as Santa  reflect a growing thirst for enlivening Santa with a naughty Santa too. Maybe the belief in Krampus is just a way for humans to get in touch with their animalistic side.

So Krampus is making a comeback now, thanks partly to a "bah, humbug" attitude in or sick pop culture. Now people are searching for more exciting ways to celebrate the yuletide season in non-traditional ways.  You, know...no more chatting with Aunt Mildred and eating her dry fruitcake on Christmas Eve. For that alone, I say "Long Live Krampus"