Krampusnacht!

As a true Horror lover, it tickles me pinkish that Krampus is coming into the mainstream of American pop culture, is getting “over” in wrestling/carnie parlance. Or you could argue that he is ALREADY over, thanks to the excellent “big studio” theatrical film from last year. (Which I bought for less than two bucks thanks to its Black Friday markdown! No, I didn’t go Black Friday shopping, but there were a few scattered deals left over the next day, among them some DVDs.) And the straight-to-video movies that predated it. Yes, Krampus is here to stay, taking his rightful place alongside Rudolph, Frosty, and the Grinch. No matter that little kids in Germany and Austria in generations past were terrified of him, that he made Christmas a miserable time for them. Hey, blame the parents for that. They’ve been using that “you’d better be good or you won’t get any toys-slash-the boogeyman will come get you” shtick for centuries.

Krampus is actually a pre-Christian figure grafted onto the Christian holiday, just like the ubiquitous Christmas Tree, the Yule Log, the wreaths of holly, and the custom of hanging up your stockings. (You won’t find any of those things in the Bible, you know.) The metamorphosis of Krampus into a “Santa’s helper” who punishes naughty kids while Santa (who is also a pagan addition, confabulated with the legend of the Christian Saint Nicholas of Tyre) rewards the well-behaved ones is a fascinating study in the evolution of folklore. Probably Krampus was originally a lot nastier than he is now, doing far worse things than just giving misbehaving brats a switching. He seems to have mellowed with age.

By The Evil Cheezman

WAYNE MILLER is the owner and creative director of EVIL CHEEZ PRODUCTIONS (www.evilcheezproductions.blogspot.com, www.facebook.com/evilcheezproductions), specializing in theatrical performances and haunted attractions. He has written, produced and directed (and occasionally acted in) over a dozen plays, most of them in the Horror and Crime genres. His first novel, THE CONFESSIONS OF SAINT CHRISTOPHER: WEREWOLF, is available for purchase at https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/734763 MORTUI VELOCES SUNT!

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