December 5 is the evening
on which parts of Germany and Bavaria celebrate Krampusnacht, which is a
throwback to a pre-Christian tradition. The word
Krampus means
“claw”, and apparently certain Alpine villages have big parties
featuring a scary clawed incubus who hangs around with Santa Claus. The
Krampus costume also includes sheepskin, horns, and a switch that the
incubus uses to swat children and unsuspecting young ladies. The
Krampus’ job is to punish those who have been bad, while Santa rewards
the people on his “nice” list. There’s been a resurgence in interest in
Krampus over the past century or so, but it seems as though the custom
goes back hundreds of years.
Source: About Religion
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