Of all the winter holiday celebrations, perhaps the most unique are Krampus processions. Find out what happens on Krampus day, the history and origin of the Krampus, and find out once and for all “Is Krampus real?”
Deep in the mountains of Europe lives a curious beast that has existed since the dawn of time. It appears but once a year, heavily horned, hooved, and carrying a huge bag and either switches or a whip. While good children eagerly await the appearance of Santa with gifts to reward them, bad children shrink back in fear when the dreaded Krampus appears, knowing they may be carried off to the mountains in the big bag. Does this creature even exist? Join SpiritualBlossom to find out all about the Krampus. Learn its origins and myths and exactly what Krampus does. Learn about modern day Krampus celebrations and discover the truth about whether this mysterious Krampus is real or not.
What is the Krampus?
“You better watch out…” begins a popular Christmas song, but few “watch out” for Santa, and even fewer people understand what they really have to “watch out” for. Going back to at least the 12th century, some regions have a tradition of visits with what is called a “Christmas devil”. Some say the Krampus came from the mountains of the central and eastern Alpine regions, but others would say that he comes from the underworld. December the 5th is Krampus night or Krampusnacht, and one or multiple Krampuses come into town with chains and whips or bundles of birch sticks and swat unruly children. Krampus has always been seen as a hairy creature with cloven feet like a goat, and horns. Read about another creature, the dragon , here; The Lore and Myths of Dragons
Krampus comes to punish bad children. The stories say that if the children were especially bad Krampus will stuff them in his bag and drag the child back to the underworld with him. Krampus has bells tied to himself and the terrifying clanking he makes can be heard through the streets in the darkness of the night. Some people say that the Krampus is a living creature, but others say he's half goat and half demon. His name comes from the German word Krampen, which means “claw”. Some people say the Krampus is the son of the goddess Hela, and Christianization turned him into a helper of Santa Claus. Saint Nicholas's day is observed December 6th, the day after the Krampus comes. The Krampus first punishes the unruly children and the following day Santa Claus leaves gifts for the good children. Quite often, families are the ones who bring gifts for the holidays, not Santa, but is family even worth it? Read here to find out: Are Relationships with Your Relatives Worth It?
The historic Perchten of pre-Christian times are said to be the basis of belief in Krampus. Perchten are sons of the goddess Perchta and she is also known as Frau Holda. She is from the very same area Krampus is believed to be and is a mother goddess who accepts the souls of children who died as infants. She taught humanity how to spin cloth from flax and she is said to live at the bottom of a well. She is a goddess or hearth and home and appears to people in a long white dress. She frowns upon laziness which she punishes and rewards hard work. A festival for her was traditionally held in winter, and a procession of masked figures dressed in fur and with horned masks marched into town and in and out of homes, casting out evil spirits, and blessing people. The magic of the Germanic people can be studied through divination with Runes and you can read about that here: The Magic and Meanings of Norse Runes
What Does Krampus Do?
Not unlike the Perchten, Krampus comes in, does his work, and then leaves. His job is to ensure order, punishing the wicked like the goddess Holda does. Some places have a procession of masked and costumed Krampuses playing bells and drums, and other places have a procession of Krampuses interacting with spectators. Today, the world is mostly Abrahamic, that is people who practice Christian, Jewish, or Muslim faiths, and few believe in the existence of the pre-Christian deities like Perchta anymore. So Krampuses show up for fun and to keep traditions alive. Read about goddesses and gods of the sea here: The Folklore, Myths, and Gods of the Sea
Some people believe that the presence of the traditional masks and costumed actors will actually drive out bad spirits, though. Perhaps in the past, the Krampus was believed to drive evil out of children whose behavior was bad, and striking them with the Birch branches or whips accomplish that. Birch is used for blessing and purification. In more modern times if you got swatted by the Krampus it is for comic entertainment. Before modern understanding of disease, some people believed that malevolent spirits created illness and death especially during winter time. In cold regions, December is not the coldest month period January and February typically is. So, to have blessings before the coldest months hit would ensure that less people got sick and died over the winter. Read about the magic of the seasons here: Magic with the Seasons
In some parts of the world, evergreens were brought into the house during winter holidays as a symbol of eternal life, and this was believed to either absorb or drive out sickness and malevolent spirits. The Evergreen was removed from the home and disposed of ritually, after cleansing the home and blessing everybody. As a part of pre-solstice celebrations, driving out sickness came before driving out the darkness of winter. People used to understand the deep connection that human beings had with the earth and the sun. Without the earth we would have nothing to eat, and without the sun nothing would grow on earth. Rituals observed during solstice time or just before it were done to give the sun strength so that it would “come back” and strengthen again ensuring that spring and the growing season would happen. Read about the power and magic of the sun here: Making Magic with the Sun
Modern Krampus Celebrations
Some modern people do practice pre-Christian paganism and hold a special place in their hearts for Krampus. Visits at events and in parades with Krampuses are held and children especially love having their pictures taken with the Krampus. For example in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, they hold the parade of Spirits in mid-December. People dress as various creatures of Alpine folklore. In Columbus, Ohio, The Magical Druid shop holds a Krampus march every year the first week of December, and then a group pagan blessing and party at a local restaurant follows. Watch a Krampus event from Columbus, Ohio here: Columbus Krampus Walk 2021
How to Revive the Krampus
There are a few things you can do to keep the Krampus tradition alive. You can dress as Krampus, and do visits to people. You can be supportive of other people who do this, or you can communicate with the mother of the Krampus, Frau Holda.
Be The Krampus
To be the Krampus, costuming can be simple or elaborate. Some people dress in a Santa Suit, but wear a terrifying Krampus mask and horns. Other people will wear a complete fur suit and folk mask. Mask makers carve huge, elaborate wooden masks complete with large, heavy horns for sale. They aren’t cheap, but you can’t put a price on good art! It can be difficult to find an authentic Krampus mask, but luckily, an article collected some links to reputable mask makers you can contact. To get a fur costume, find a local tailor or seamstress to make your costume. Before you know it, you will become the Krampus and bring his magic alive! Read here to find a mask maker: REPUTABLE KRAMPUS MASK MAKERS — KRAMPUS BREMERTON
Support the Krampus
Not everybody wants to be a Krampus. A Krampus event can be very long, especially if multiple appearances need to be made in multiple locations. Some Krampus performances will include chasing people, dancing, and even handling fire. Some groups do walk into town from nature, emerging from the woods, and others have to travel from out of town to get to the event. Not everybody has the time or stamina to be a Krampus performer. Everybody can support them though. You can spread the word of the event where they're going to be seen, and you can even help them to get dressed. You can drive them to their events, and you can feed them or make sure that they have plenty of water. Like any event, a Krampus event takes a lot of people to create, not just the performers. You can be one of those people making the magic of Krampus come alive.
Communication with Frau Holda
The goddess Holda held a special place in her heart for women. She was said to ride at night with female witches. These women would leave their homes in spirit form at night sometimes too, moving through walls and going to far away places to do battles in the sky or to attend feasts. In a world where women were needed at home for their families, Holda allowed them to escape in the night for a chance to be more than just their roles in the household. Not everybody has a personal relationship with this goddess, but you can establish one with her. You can pray to her, do deeds in her honor, or make handcrafts in her name.
Prayers to Holda
A powerful goddess like Holda can always be called upon. A simple prayer like “Holda, guide me. I don’t know what to do,” will reach her. Women who feel trapped and an endless list of tasks for their household and family can say a prayer to Holda for a break. Be specific about what type of a break you might though, because Holda is known for helping women to leave in spirit form. Some people think of that as astrally travelling or going to other worlds in your dreams. If you need a break from things and your day-to-day life, tell Frau Holda, and she will help you.
Being a mother goddess of the household and the domestic arts, she can be called upon by young adults who have moved out of the house for the first time and need help learning to take care of their own household. Before asking the goddess for help with this, give her a gift. You can pour a libation of mead into the ground as a gift for Holda. Light a white candle on your stovetop in your kitchen, and say” Mother Holda, come into my home and abide within. Teach me the things that you know about maintaining hearth and home teach me the care and upkeep within the home for myself and all who enter. May we always be blessed with your loving presence. Thank you Mother Holda.” Prayer can lead to enlightenment, and you can read about becoming enlightened here: Columbus Krampus Walk 2021
Good Deeds for Holda
Good deeds In Frau Holda’s honor can be done in the form of kindnesses to mothers and children, or women who are homemakers. Help a homemaker to do some tasks around the house. Better yet do some domestic things for someone who is ill. Clean their house for them, deliver some groceries to them, or cook a meal in their kitchen for them. An especially wonderful good deed in Frau Holda’s honor is to teach someone who is living on their own for the first time how to keep house or cook. Share some of your favorite recipes with them, show them good house cleaning techniques, or visit them when they move into their new home and tell them what a beautiful place they have. Frau Holda will see all of these good deeds you do. Good deeds can create miracles, and you can read more about miracles here: Do Miracles Really Happen?
Handcrafts for Holda
As a goddess of spinning, Frau Holda understands that not everybody spins, but everyone can make something with their own two hands. So, hand make something and the honor of Frau Holda. Not everybody is artistically talented, but everyone can create. What would you like to make in the honor of the goddess? Sew, knit, crochet, paint, draw, do paper cuts or paper folding, or hand make some type of a craft and give it as a gift to the goddess. You can also hand make something and give it away to someone else in honor of Frau Holda. She will see your offerings. Some people find color to be the most powerful thing to create with and you can read about the magic of color here: Colors Magic: Their Meaning and Symbolism
Is Krampus Real?
Krampus comes alive every year thanks to the hard work of dedicated men and women in elaborate folk costumes. They bring the magic of the dreaded Krampus alive and thrill kids and adults alike. They won’t actually carry anybody away, never to be seen again, but they act as a reminder that old traditions never die- and children should behave themselves! Today’s celebrants seldom feel fear or want to scare kids- they want to celebrate The Old Ways, and they understand that the holidays are about joy, celebration, and fun. A lot of hometowns around the world have Krampus celebrations, and if yours doesn’t , maybe you can establish one! May the spirit of Krampus be with you this holiday. May your traditions never fade or be forgotten- and you better be good, because Krampus has a lot of room in his bag!
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About the Author: Lady Saoirse has studied magic and lore for most of her life but started walking her own Magical Path after being spiritually reborn in the desert. Today she is a High Priestess for The Temple of the Goddess, she is a psychic advisor and spiritual counselor, she shares her gifts as a Psychic and Content Writer for Mysticsense and SpiritualBlossom, and she writes for The Green Egg Magazine and PaganPages.Org emag.
