Christmas vs. Krampus Day
In today’s society, has Santa Claus become a “Trojan horse” who has replaced ancient pagan practices? Following is an article I found regarding early pagan festivities that resemble our Christmas celebrations. Microsoft News (MSN) reported their findings about the character, Krampus. For the entire article, please visit Microsoft News, December 6, 2014. The article’s title is “Krampus.”
Brandon Ambrosino
Vox.com – Saturday, December 6, 2014
Krampus: the demonic Santa Claus you haven’t heard about
If you’re reading this, then you made it through last night unscathed. Congratulations! You avoided Krampus and made it to St. Nicholas’ Day for another year!
But what does all of this even mean? Allow us to introduce you to a bizarre Christmas tradition from Europe that’s been gaining in popularity in the states.
1) What is a Krampus?
Krampus is basically the anti-St. Nicholas, the opposite of Claus. He’s a fugly mythical creature usually depicted like the devil. He has body hair, horns, hooves, and fangs. He carries with him chains and birch rods, which he uses to beat misbehaving children and whisk them off to Hell.
Krampus is considered the son of the Norse god Hel, the ruler of Helheim, or the Underworld. As such, he’s a reminder of some of the pagan roots of Christmas celebrations. As early Christianity began spreading throughout Europe, its adherents started to interact with “pagans,” and eventually borrowed some of their festivals, repackaging them in ways that resonated with their own religious narratives.
Krampus is known by many names, as the folks at Krampus.com point out. Those names include Knecht Ruprecht, Certa, Perchten, Black Peter, Schmutzli, Pelznickel, and Klaubauf. (Klaubauf would also be a great name for your prog-rock band.)
2) Why are we talking about Krampus now? Christmas is still a ways off.
Sure. But December 6 is known as Nikolaustag, or St. Nicholas Day, in many parts of Europe.
But, like All Saints Day, St. Nicholas Day has its darker half, which takes place on the night before, known as Krampusnacht or Krampus Night. It is traditionally viewed as the night the demon carries out his tricks on all the wicked children of the world.
3) What do people do on Krampusnacht?
Traditionally, children leave their shoes out for Krampus to fill with treats (if they’ve been nice) or a birch rod (if they’ve been naughty). Presumably, Krampus no longer drags kids off to Hell, but you never know.
Puritans originally banned Christmas celebrations
As National Geographic points out, the festivities have become much more modernized in recent years: “A more modern take on the tradition … involves drunken men dressed as devils, who take over the streets for a Krampuslauf — a Krampus Run of sorts, when people are chased through the streets by the devils.”
This is actually pretty close to the roots of American Christmas, as Stephen Nissenbaum details in his book The Battle for Christmas. Because of its association with the pagan winter solstice, and the public drunkenness and licentiousness that went with it, the Puritans originally banned Christmas celebrations in Massachusetts Bay Colony.
Krampus: the demonic Santa Claus you haven’t heard about