The story behind 'Krampus,' Santa's demonic helper who exists to scare children into being good
This is Krampus. Santa's little helper is a terrifying demonic beast that helps him deal with naughty kids. He literally exists to scare children straight.
![The story behind 'Krampus,' Santa's demonic helper who exists to scare children into being good](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fstaticbiassets.in%2Fthumb%2Fmsid-50059755%2Cwidth-700%2Cheight-525%2Cimgsize-1019272%2Fthis-is-krampus-santas-little-helper-is-a-terrifying-demonic-beast-that-helps-himdeal-with-naughty-kids-he-literally-exists-to-scare-children-straight-.jpg&w=3840&q=75)
Most Krampuses have thick fur, sharp horns, cloven hooves, fangs, and a long, pointy tongue. They usually wear loud bells and chains, which they thrash around for effect, and carry a whip or birch branches to beat kids with.
![Most Krampuses have thick fur, sharp horns, cloven hooves, fangs, and a long, pointy tongue. They usually wear loud bells and chains, which they thrash around for effect, and carry a whip or birch branches to beat kids with.](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-50059756,width-700,height-525,imgsize-12132862/most-krampuses-have-thick-fur-sharp-horns-cloven-hooves-fangs-and-a-long-pointy-tongue-they-usually-wear-loud-bells-and-chains-which-they-thrash-around-for-effect-and-carry-a-whip-or-birch-branches-to-beat-kids-with-.jpg)
They also often brandish a basket or sack of some sort, meant to transport kids to hell (or the nearest river).
![They also often brandish a basket or sack of some sort, meant to transport kids to hell (or the nearest river).](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-50059757,width-700,height-525,imgsize-16458899/they-also-often-brandish-a-basket-or-sack-of-some-sort-meant-to-transport-kids-to-hell-or-the-nearest-river-.jpg)
Most Alpine towns feature an annual Krampuslauf, or Krampus Run. It usually takes place on December 5, the night before the feast of St. Nicholas.
![Most Alpine towns feature an annual Krampuslauf, or Krampus Run. It usually takes place on December 5, the night before the feast of St. Nicholas.](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-50059758,width-700,height-525,imgsize-11606015/most-alpine-towns-feature-an-annual-krampuslauf-or-krampus-run-it-usually-takes-place-on-december-5-the-night-before-the-feast-of-st-nicholas-.jpg)
Anyone can dress up as the Krampus. The wooden masks they wear are typically handmade, intricate, and absolutely terrifying.
![Anyone can dress up as the Krampus. The wooden masks they wear are typically handmade, intricate, and absolutely terrifying.](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-50059759,width-700,height-525,imgsize-5976435/anyone-can-dress-up-as-the-krampus-the-wooden-masks-they-wear-are-typically-handmade-intricate-and-absolutely-terrifying-.jpg)
Increasingly, towns featuring Krampus Runs have had issues with drunken Krampuses getting a little too rowdy. They're known to chase people across town, beating them with their sticks, getting a little too into character ... and you never know who's hiding behind those masks.
![Increasingly, towns featuring Krampus Runs have had issues with drunken Krampuses getting a little too rowdy. They](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-50059760,width-700,height-525,imgsize-7491813/increasingly-towns-featuring-krampus-runs-have-had-issues-with-drunken-krampuses-getting-a-little-too-rowdy-theyre-known-to-chase-people-across-town-beating-them-with-their-sticks-getting-a-little-too-into-character-and-you-never-know-whos-hiding-behind-those-masks-.jpg)
Though no one quite knows for certain, this tradition is often believed to have begun when the Moors raided European towns, kidnapping locals and selling them into slavery.
![Though no one quite knows for certain, this tradition is often believed to have begun when the Moors raided European towns, kidnapping locals and selling them into slavery.](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-50059762,width-700,height-525,imgsize-14501476/though-no-one-quite-knows-for-certain-this-tradition-is-often-believed-to-have-begun-when-the-moors-raided-european-towns-kidnapping-locals-and-selling-them-into-slavery-.jpg)
Legend has it the Krampuses' chains symbolize a binding to the devil by the Christian Church, and the birch branches hail from ancient pagan initiation rites.
![Legend has it the Krampuses](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-50059763,width-700,height-525,imgsize-3681739/legend-has-it-the-krampuses-chains-symbolize-a-binding-to-the-devil-by-the-christian-church-and-the-birch-branches-hail-from-ancient-pagan-initiation-rites-.jpg)
Krampus punishes misbehavior. He is the opposite of St. Nicholas, a warm and friendly old man who rewards good kids with candy and gifts.
![Krampus punishes misbehavior. He is the opposite of St. Nicholas, a warm and friendly old man who rewards good kids with candy and gifts.](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-50059765,width-700,height-525,imgsize-4236700/krampus-punishes-misbehavior-he-is-the-opposite-of-st-nicholas-a-warm-and-friendly-old-man-who-rewards-good-kids-with-candy-and-gifts-.jpg)
Parents threaten their kids with Krampus all year long, arranging for him to show up in their homes should their threats go unheeded.
![Parents threaten their kids with Krampus all year long, arranging for him to show up in their homes should their threats go unheeded.](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-50059766,width-700,height-525,imgsize-11135680/parents-threaten-their-kids-with-krampus-all-year-long-arranging-for-him-to-show-up-in-their-homes-should-their-threats-go-unheeded-.jpg)
When he and his associates show up, he'll start reading off a list of every time a kid has misbehaved in the past year, while said kid trembles in terror under the watchful eye of Krampus, birch branches in hand twitching.
![When he and his associates show up, he](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-50059767,width-700,height-525,imgsize-10343142/when-he-and-his-associates-show-up-hell-start-reading-off-a-list-of-every-time-a-kid-has-misbehaved-in-the-past-year-while-said-kid-trembles-in-terror-under-the-watchful-eye-of-krampus-birch-branches-in-hand-twitching-.jpg)
Krampus is so insanely scary that he was actually banned a few times — alternatively by the Catholic Church and the Austrian government, and later during WWII for allegedly being a product of Social Democrats.
![Krampus is so insanely scary that he was actually banned a few times — alternatively by the Catholic Church and the Austrian government, and later during WWII for allegedly being a product of Social Democrats.](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-50059768,width-700,height-525,imgsize-7181031/krampus-is-so-insanely-scary-that-he-was-actually-banned-a-few-times-alternatively-by-the-catholic-church-and-the-austrian-government-and-later-during-wwii-for-allegedly-being-a-product-of-social-democrats-.jpg)
In fact, Krampus is so terrifying that one Austrian town warned visitors ahead of time, so that they wouldn't be afraid when drunken monsters were seen running through the streets.
![In fact, Krampus is so terrifying that one Austrian town warned visitors ahead of time, so that they wouldn](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-50059769,width-700,height-525,imgsize-6660780/in-fact-krampus-is-so-terrifying-that-one-austrian-town-warned-visitors-ahead-of-time-so-that-they-wouldnt-be-afraid-when-drunken-monsters-were-seen-running-through-the-streets-.jpg)
Krampus has been having a resurgence in Europe recently, and has even caught on in the US. A new Universal Studios movie called "Krampus" is now playing nationwide.
![Krampus has been having a resurgence in Europe recently, and has even caught on in the US. A new Universal Studios movie called "Krampus" is now playing nationwide.](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-50059770,width-700,height-525,imgsize-9230426/krampus-has-been-having-a-resurgence-in-europe-recently-and-has-even-caught-on-in-the-us-a-new-universal-studios-movie-called-krampus-is-now-playing-nationwide-.jpg)
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