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From Abroad

The Krampus are demon like creatures that accompany Saint Nicholas. St. Nicholas brings you gifts if you are good (much like Santa) and the Krampus acts as an anti-Saint Nicholas. So instead of giving gifts, they give warnings and punishments to the bad children. Traditionally, young men & women dress up as the Krampus on the first 2 weeks of Dezember (especially Dez. 5th) and roam the streets frightening people with rusty chains, bells and whips. The area in which you are in determines the degree in which these demons can scare you. We were with an Austria guy and he was quite scared of them because the Krampus would beat him when he was a child. Emily, from WV also told me a story of her first experience with Krampus. While she was in a crowd, the girl next to her was hit with the whip. Emily was brushed with the tip and had a welt on her leg the next day. So out of curiosity, I went to see this Krampus Fest. I was glad to see that there was a fence up to separate the crowd and the Krampus. We made it through without getting beaten and even got a picture before running away.

Soli Deo Gloria,
Kellen