For millions of people December brings the happiness of Christmas and the knowledge that Saint Nick will be paying they a visit. However for over a thousand years the people of the Germanic lands have known of another traveler.

He has many names but the one known to most is Krampus the dark shadow of Saint Nick. Born out of Norse Mythology Krampus is the name of the son of their Goddess of the Underworld Hel. The beast was said to find and capture bad children and beat them with a whip to punish them for their sins. The truely bad children were placed in a sack and taken to the underworld forever.

As the story traveled through out Europe different takes on the same story arose. His Norse roots were all but dropped in the 13th century. Here he became interlinked with the story of Santa Clause. Naughty Children where no longer taken to the Underworld but to the Northpole. Here they were changed into the elves and forced to work for the rest of their days only being replaced when a new child was snatched.

In some areas it was said he was Santa’s literal dark half and the two shared a single body. In others he was the arch nemesis of the jolly fat man, and in others still the two worked hand in hand rewarding good children and enslaving the bad.

This is the inspiration to giving naughty children coal in their stocking as in the old legends coal was said to stave off the demon of Christmas Krampus. So you were punishing children with coal but protecting them from enslavement.

Krampus always appeared as a half man half goat wielding a whip or club and a large bag. In the 14th century he was drawn wearing chains. This was a symbol of the church having chained up the devil. This is also when coal was introduced into the Christmas tradition.

A new version of the Krampus myth was introduced in the 17th century. This time Santa was the hero doing battle with the evil Krampus and banishing him to the South Pole chaining him to the Earth itself. This was very popular in Germany up until the 19th century.

Modern Krampus is celebrated in the region of his birth every year on the 6th of December with food, drink, and even people dressing as the beast.

Modern media has given a couple shots as the Krampus Myth. The television show American Dad’s take as you might have guessed turned it into little more than a joke and wasn’t to faithful to the story of Krampus.

A film of the same name is in cinema’s right now and it’s take on the story is to put it bluntly quite tame. The true horror of this idea is unexplored and unfun to watch.

But there you have it. The dark side of Christmas fully explored and I highly advice you to look into Krampus on your own and continue to enjoy this chilling side of the Christmas Holiday.

I am you Lord of Shadows saying

Stay Scared