Krampus
Who is Krampus?
Are Krampus and St. Nicholas brothers?
What does Krampus do to children?
Are there movies about Krampus?
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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 may ultimately derive from the Old High German word Krampf, meaning “cramp” or “claw,” though the etymology is disputed.
What does Krampus look like?
Frequently portrayed as a towering, fur-covered creature, Krampus is believed to have twisted horns and hoofed feet. He is often equipped with bells, swinging chains, a sack or basket used to carry misbehaving children, and a bundle of birch twigs used to swat them.
Origins in Alpine and Central European folklore
Krampus is thought to have been part of pagan rituals for the winter solstice in the German-speaking Alpine regions of Europe, particularly Austria. The winter solstice marks the longest night of the year, and figures such as Krampus originated in early Alpine community traditions to dispel evil spirits believed to gather during this season.
Variants of the Krampus tradition also appear in southern Germany (especially Bavaria) and the border regions of Slovenia, northern Italy, Hungary, and Romania.
According to some legends, he is the son of Hel, the Norse goddess of the underworld. With the spread of Christianity, Krampus became associated with Christmas—despite efforts by the Roman Catholic church to ban him. The creature and St. Nicholas are said to arrive on the evening of December 5 (Krampusnacht, “Krampus Night”). The pairing of St. Nicholas and Krampus reflects a long-standing tradition in Alpine and central European folklore of moral contrast, where goodness is rewarded and bad behavior is punished, each represented by St. Nicholas and Krampus, respectively. While St. Nicholas rewards nice children by leaving presents, Krampus beats those who are naughty with birch twigs and branches. In some cases, he is said to eat them or take them to hell. On December 6, St. Nicholas Day, children awaken to find their gifts or nurse their injuries.
Krampuslauf: Parades and processions
The Krampus tradition manifests in public life through the Krampuslauf (“Krampus run”), a public procession held in towns across Austria’s Alpine regions, southern Germany, Trentino–Alto Adige/Südtirol (South Tyrol) in Italy, and parts of Slovenia, Hungary, and Croatia. These events, typically occurring from mid-November through early December, reach their peak on the evening of December 5, the eve of St. Nicholas Day.
Participants in the Krampuslauf don handmade costumes, including shaggy fur suits, carved wooden masks, and horns. Costumes also feature cowbells, chains, and accessories such as whips, birch branches, and fangs. The Krampus figures, sometimes accompanied by Perchten (similarly fearsome folkloric characters), move through the crowds, chasing spectators and playfully whipping them with brooms.
Among the largest events are the Krampus run at Dobbiaco (Tobalch), Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, Italy, which draws hundreds of masked participants from across the Alps, and the Bad Goisern parade near Salzburg, Austria. In addition to the spectacle, these celebrations often include regional foods, mulled wine, and Christmastime market stalls.
Krampus cards: 19th century prints and modern revival
In the late 19th century, the popularity of chromolithographic printing (a chemical-based method of producing color prints using stone or metal plates and grease-based inks) led to the mass production of Krampus postcards, known in German as Krampuskarten.
These cards, popular from the 1880s until World War I, typically depicted Krampus in humorous or risqué scenes: dragging off misbehaving children, trying to court women, or, in some versions, appearing as a female figure. Phrases such as “Gruss vom Krampus” (“Greetings from Krampus”) and “Brav sein” (“Be good”) added a festive touch to the otherwise menacing imagery.
Popular interest in these cards resurfaced in the early 2000s when American graphic designer Monte Beauchamp published a selection in his comic art anthology BLAB!, later expanding it into two books, The Devil in Design: The Krampus Postcards (2004) and Krampus: The Devil of Christmas (2010).
Krampus on-screen and on paper
Krampus has gained a prominent place in contemporary horror, from the mid-2010s onward. The most widely known adaptation is Krampus (2015), a horror comedy in which a troubled family is terrorized by the creature and his helpers after a child turns away from the spirit of Christmas. Featuring Adam Scott and Toni Collette, this film introduced the folkloric figure to a broad international audience.
Other movies include Krampus: The Christmas Devil (2013) and its sequel Krampus: The Devil Returns (2016), both directed by Jason Hull; Krampus Unleashed (2016) and Krampus: Origins (2018), which expanded the creature’s independent film presence; and Red One (2024), an action comedy featuring Kristofer Hivju as Krampus alongside Dwayne Johnson and Chris Evans.
St. Nicholas’s beastly sidekick has been adapted into fiction by American author and illustrator Gerald Brom in Krampus: The Yule Lord (2012), a horror fantasy. Some other works include Christmas Curiosities: Odd, Dark, and Forgotten Christmas (2008) by John Grossman and The Fright Before Christmas: Surviving Krampus and Other Yuletide Monsters, Witches, and Ghosts (2023) by Jeff Belanger and Terry Reed (illustrator).