Saint Nicholas's Companion

The Day of Saint Nicholas is observed on December 6; sometime in the eleventh century, in the Holy Roman Empire, children of merchants and other upper class citizens began putting their shoes outside their doors, the night before.  If the was child was good, they found a small coin or a baked treat inside their shoe in the morning; if the child had been misbehaving, they found either rocks, coal, or switches inside their shoe.
   The Christian church needed a High Holiday to compare with Yule, or the Winter Solstice.  They decided to celebrate the birth of the Christ child on December 25, and to have a special Christ's Mass to celebrate the day.  Household spirits, kobald and tomten, became helping elves, sometimes mischievous, for Saint Nicholas.
   Most notably in the areas encompassed by the Holy Roman Empire, Saint Nicholas suddenly had a "partner" on his  Feast Day's eve, and also on Christmas Eve - the Krampus.  Krampus has large curving horns, an extremely long tongue, one leg ends in a cloven hoof, the other in a bear paw.  He has large claws on his hands, and is covered with long dark hair (or fur).  In one hand he carries a bundle of birch switches, and in the other, a chain with bells and manacles.  Krampus' name is derived from the German word krampen, which means claw; he is said to be the son of the god Hel in Norse mythology.
   While Saint Nicholas brought toys, gifts, and food to good children, Krampus abducted bad children in chains and beat them with the birch switches until they promised to be good.  Some said the bad children were taken to Krampus' lair in the woods outside of town; others said they were taken to Hell and then released.  A few of the tales had Krampus transporting the bad children away in a sack thrown over his shoulder.
   Krampus was suppressed by the Catholic Church for many years, due to the raucous and drunken celebrations that seem to accompany him.  The fascists in World War II Europe thought Krampus was despicable because he was considered a creation of the Social Democrats.
  Currently, a modern take on the tradition of Krampus in Austria, Germany, Hungary, Slovenia and the Czech Republic involves men dressed as Krampus, in "devil" suits and masks, who take over the streets of towns on the night of December 5.  Participants in the Krampuslauf  have usually partaken of schnapps and other alcoholic beverages, and chase normal residents through the streets.
   Krampus is making a come-back now, thanks to the younger generation seeking ways to celebrate Yuletide in non-traditional ways.  In the United States, people are "buying in" to the trend for Krampus parties, as an anti-Christmas celebration.  In Austria, commercialization of Krampus is underway  with the selling of Krampus chocolates, figurines, and collectible horns.