The Krampus is an old Christian character from old world Catholic Christmas traditions. The Krampus is one of the variations of St Nicholas’s helpers; a tradition where another character is assigned St Nicholas’s naughty list duties. The Krampus is a horned anthropomorphic goat figure with one human foot and a very long tongue who, in Central and Eastern Alpine folkloric tradition Christianity, is said to accompany Saint Nicholas on visits to children during the night of 5 December, immediately before the Feast of St. Nicholas on 6 December. The Krampus knocks on the doors of children’s homes to warn them to be good, or otherwise he will return on Christmas Eve with St. Nicholas. In this tradition, Saint Nicholas rewards well-behaved children with small gifts, while Krampus punishes badly-behaved ones with birch rods.
1900s illustration of Saint Nicholas and Krampus visiting a child
A person dressed as a Straggele at Morzger Pass, Salzburg, Austria
A 1900s greeting card reading 'Greetings from Krampus!'
20th Century, Austrian Postcard depicting St. Nikolaus and Krampus
Saint Nicholas (European folklore)
Saint Nicholas is a legendary figure in European folklore based on the Greek early Christian bishop Nicholas of Myra, patron saint of children.
Saint Nicholas (Svatý Mikuláš) with a devil (čert) in Prague
An 1865 illustration of the Hungarian Saint Nicholas (Mikulás) and a Krampusz, a fearful and devilish creature, a mean elf
