8" figure of Krampus and his wee victim. cast in resin and hand painted


Gruss vom Krampus (Greetings from Krampus)

In the Alpine regions of Europe, St. Nicholas is accompanied by Krampus, whose job it is to punish and warn misbehaving children. He is usually depicted as a traditional devil with cloven hooves and horns, carrying a basket to abduct children in. With a switch for whipping and chains on his manacled wrists, he represents the naughty side of Christmas. While a dark wild man can be traced far back historically in seasonal festivities, Krampus took off in the 19th century with greeting cards and decorations. He took on both a sinister and comical aspect, being both a moral warning and an outlandish thrill. In some parts of Europe it is custom for young men to dress as Krampus and run the streets spooking children on Krampusnacht, the evening before St. Nicholas' Day. Recently Krampus has enjoyed a resurgence in popularity, and in the United States there is a growing awareness of this curious and primal aspect of the Christmas holiday.