People dressed as Krampus, a woman dressed as an angel and a man dressed as Santa Claus wait for the start of the traditional Krampus run in Munich, southern Germany, on December 11, 2016.
A Krampus is a half-demon, half goat figure who punishes children who misbehaved during the Christmas season. / AFP / dpa / Andreas Gebert / Germany OUT (Photo credit should read ANDREAS GEBERT/DPA/AFP via Getty Images)MUNICH, GERMANY – DECEMBER 09: Spectators take a picture of an actor dressed as the Krampus creature during a Krampus parade through the city center’s pedestrian shopping district on December 9, 2018 in Munich, Germany. Krampus traditionally accompanies Saint Nicholas and angels in a house to house procession to reward children who have been good and warn those who have not, though in recent decades Krampus parades have become an intrinsic part of local folklore and take place throughout the end of November and into the first half of December in the alpine regions of Germany, Austria and Italy. Krampus usually wears large cowbells on his back that he rings by shaking his hips to ward off the evil spirits of winter. He also carries a switch made of branches or animal hair that he uses to whip bystanders. (Photo by Sebastian Widmann/Getty Images)NEUSTIFT IM STUBAITAL, AUSTRIA – NOVEMBER 30: A participant dressed as the Krampus creature walks the streets in search of delinquent children during Krampus night on November 30, 2013 in Neustift im Stubaital, Austria. Sixteen Krampus groups including over 200 Krampuses participated in the first annual Neustift event. Krampus, in Tyrol also called Tuifl, is a demon-like creature represented by a fearsome, hand-carved wooden mask with animal horns, a suit made from sheep or goat skin and large cow bells attached to the waist that the wearer rings by running or shaking his hips up and down. Krampus has been a part of Central European, alpine folklore going back at least a millennium, and since the 17th-century Krampus traditionally accompanies St. Nicholas and angels on the evening of December 5 to visit households to reward children that have been good while reprimanding those who have not. However, in the last few decades Tyrol in particular has seen the founding of numerous village Krampus associations with up to 100 members each and who parade without St. Nicholas at Krampus events throughout November and early December. (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)SANKT JOHANN IM PONGAU, AUSTRIA – DECEMBER 06: A child looks at man wearing a horned, wooden mask and dressed as the Krampus creature prior to the annual Krampus parade on Saint Nicholas Day on December 6, 2017 in Sankt Johann im Pongau, Austria. Several hundred Krampus creatures from the region took part in this year’s Sankt Johann parade. Krampus traditionally accompanies Saint Nicholas and angels in a house to house procession to reward children who have been good and warn those who have not, though in recent decades Krampus parades have become an intrinsic part of local folklore and take place throughout the end of November and into the first half of December in the alpine regions of Germany, Austria and Italy. Krampus usually wears large cowbells on his back that he rings by shaking his hips to ward off the evil spirits of winter. He also carries a switch made of branches or animal hair that he uses to whip bystanders. (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)SANKT JOHANN IM PONGAU, AUSTRIA – DECEMBER 06: Men wearing horned, wooden masks and dressed as the Krampus creature participate in the annual Krampus parade on Saint Nicholas Day on December 6, 2017 in Sankt Johann im Pongau, Austria. Several hundred Krampus creatures from the region took part in this year’s Sankt Johann parade. Krampus traditionally accompanies Saint Nicholas and angels in a house to house procession to reward children who have been good and warn those who have not, though in recent decades Krampus parades have become an intrinsic part of local folklore and take place throughout the end of November and into the first half of December in the alpine regions of Germany, Austria and Italy. Krampus usually wears large cowbells on his back that he rings by shaking his hips to ward off the evil spirits of winter. He also carries a switch made of branches or animal hair that he uses to whip bystanders. (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)Members of the “Sparifankerl Pass” group take part in the so-called “Krampus-Lauf” parade at the Marienplatz place in Munich, southern Germany, on December 7, 2008. The traditional parade known in Bavaria and other alpine regions dates back to the christian-mythical figures of Bishop Nicholas and his companion “Krampus”. Already 500 years ago, the “Krampus” figures wearing wooden masks performed from the end of November to the beginning of January to banish demons and evil spirits. AFP PHOTO DDP/JOERG KOCH GERMANY OUT (Photo credit should read JOERG KOCH/DDP/AFP via Getty Images)PRAD, ITALY – DECEMBER 04: Members of the Koatlacker devil’s association (Koatlacker Tuifl) dressed as demonic creatures take part in a Krampus procession on December 4, 2011 in Prad near Merano, Italy. In the tradition, which involves elaborate masks, some of which are centuries old, the devils accompany St. Nicholas when he visits little children to determine who has been good or bad, and the tradition is still practiced in Austria, southern Germany and the South Tyrol region of northern Italy. (Photo by Johannes Simon/Getty Images)SANKT JOHANN IM PONGAU, AUSTRIA – DECEMBER 06: A little boy seems unfazed while confronting a devilish Krampus creature during the annual Krampus parade on Saint Nicholas Day on December 6, 2017 in Sankt Johann im Pongau, Austria. Several hundred Krampus creatures from the region took part in this year’s Sankt Johann parade. Krampus traditionally accompanies Saint Nicholas and angels in a house to house procession to reward children who have been good and warn those who have not, though in recent decades Krampus parades have become an intrinsic part of local folklore and take place throughout the end of November and into the first half of December in the alpine regions of Germany, Austria and Italy. Krampus usually wears large cowbells on his back that he rings by shaking his hips to ward off the evil spirits of winter. He also carries a switch made of branches or animal hair that he uses to whip bystanders. (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)BERCHTESGADEN, GERMANY – DECEMBER 05: Actors dressed as Saint Nicholas and Krampus creatures lead men dressed in masks and straw in the form of a figure known locally as “Buttnmandl”, or “Shaking Man”, as they ascend toward a meadow above the town in an annual tradition on December 5, 2017 in Berchtesgaden, Germany. Buttnmandl wears heavy cowbells that he rings by shaking his hips. His role is to drive away the evils spirits of winter and awaken slumbering Mother Nature. He also accompanies Saint Nicholas and goes house to house, visiting families as Saint Nicholas hears which children have been good and which have been bad. Buttnmandl is specific to the Berchtesgadener Land region of southeastern Bavaria but is similar in intent to the more common Krampus, the fur-clad figure with a terrifying mask that has, especially in recent decades, become an intrinsic part of local folklore throughout late November and most of December in the alpine regions of Germany, Austria and Italy. (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)BERCHTESGADEN, GERMANY – DECEMBER 05: Men dressed in masks and straw in the form of a figure known locally as “Buttnmandl”, or “Shaking Man”, ascend on the outskirts of town to a meadow in an annual tradition on December 5, 2017 in Berchtesgaden, Germany. Buttnmandl wears heavy cowbells that he rings by shaking his hips. His role is to drive away the evils spirits of winter and awaken slumbering Mother Nature. He also accompanies Saint Nicholas and goes house to house, visiting families as Saint Nicholas hears which children have been good and which have been bad. Buttnmandl is specific to the Berchtesgadener Land region of southeastern Bavaria but is similar in intent to the more common Krampus, the fur-clad figure with a terrifying mask that has, especially in recent decades, become an intrinsic part of local folklore throughout late November and most of December in the alpine regions of Germany, Austria and Italy. (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)MARKTSCHELLENBERG, GERMANY – NOVEMBER 28: Krampus or devil’s mask are displayed in the workshop of woodcarver Richard Kranawetvogl on November 28, 2015 in Marktschellenberg, Germany. Kranawetvogl specializes in the fearsome masks and makes them for local Krampus associations, which have become increasingly popular in recent years. Krampus, a horned, horrific creature, has been a part of Central European alpine folklore going back at least a millennium, and since the 17th-century Krampus traditionally accompanies St. Nicholas and angels on the evening of December 5 to visit households to reward children that have been good while reprimanding those who have not. However, in the last few decades Bavaria and Tyrol have seen the founding of numerous village Krampus associations with up to 100 members each and who parade without St. Nicholas at Krampus events throughout November and early December. (Photo by Johannes Simon/Getty Images)MARKTSCHELLENBERG, GERMANY – NOVEMBER 28: Krampus or devil’s mask are displayed in the workshop of woodcarver Richard Kranawetvogl on November 28, 2015 in Marktschellenberg, Germany. Kranawetvogl specializes in the fearsome masks and makes them for local Krampus associations, which have become increasingly popular in recent years. Krampus, a horned, horrific creature, has been a part of Central European alpine folklore going back at least a millennium, and since the 17th-century Krampus traditionally accompanies St. Nicholas and angels on the evening of December 5 to visit households to reward children that have been good while reprimanding those who have not. However, in the last few decades Bavaria and Tyrol have seen the founding of numerous village Krampus associations with up to 100 members each and who parade without St. Nicholas at Krampus events throughout November and early December. (Photo by Johannes Simon/Getty Images)A masked participant is pictured during a parade of the ‘Boerwang brennt’ (Boerwang burns) festival in Boerwang, Bavaria, southern Germany on November 22, 2014. More than 400 people disguised as Krampus and other creatures known from the folklore of the Alpine countries attended the event. AFP PHOTO / DPA / KARL-JOSEF HILDENBRAND +++ GERMANY OUT (Photo credit should read KARL-JOSEF HILDENBRAND/DPA/AFP via Getty Images)HAIMING, AUSTRIA – DECEMBER 01: A member of the Haiminger Krampusgruppe dressed as the Krampus creature hits a fire to release sparks on the town square during their annual Krampus night in Tyrol on December 1, 2013 in Haiming, Austria. Krampus, in Tyrol also called Tuifl, is a demon-like creature represented by a fearsome, hand-carved wooden mask with animal horns, a suit made from sheep or goat skin and large cow bells attached to the waist that the wearer rings by running or shaking his hips up and down. Krampus has been a part of Central European, alpine folklore going back at least a millennium, and since the 17th-century Krampus traditionally accompanies St. Nicholas and angels on the evening of December 5 to visit households to reward children that have been good while reprimanding those who have not. However, in the last few decades Tyrol in particular has seen the founding of numerous village Krampus associations with up to 100 members each and who parade without St. Nicholas at Krampus events throughout November and early December. (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)PRAD, ITALY – DECEMBER 04: Members of the Koatlacker devil’s association (Koatlacker Tuifl) dressed as demonic creatures take part in a Krampus procession on December 4, 2011 in Prad near Merano, Italy. In the tradition, which involves elaborate masks, some of which are centuries old, the devils accompany St. Nicholas when he visits little children to determine who has been good or bad, and the tradition is still practiced in Austria, southern Germany and the South Tyrol region of northern Italy. (Photo by Johannes Simon/Getty Images)
