Nikolo or Krampus- good and evil in tradition and culture

Smoke, Bonfires, the rattling of chains. Long hairy garments and big horns. Loud, dull cowbells and whips.

   Coming from America I figured I was ready for anything, after all, we have Halloween. Then I attended my first Krampus run and realized that there were levels of revulsion and fear that I hadn't ever imagined, at least not in the context of entertainment. Mirroring medieval paintings of purgatory while evoking a visceral response the Krampus is an integral part of the Advent season here
in Austria. Krampus are demonic beings in Celtic, alpine lore who come storming down from the mountains in the days proceeding the arrival of St. Nicholaus. The 5th of December is Krampus the 6th Nikolo.

   Most towns and cities host a Krampus run. An opportunity for the local men and teenage boys to don huge carved masks and hairy costumes and roam the streets to the joy of the spectators who come out to see them. They are expected to cause mischief and every year there are burnt out garbage cans or other forms of mild violence visible on the morning after these events. Nothing too serious, just typical Krampus behavior. Excessive drinking causes the countryside Krampus runs to be a lot more alarming than their gentle city counterparts where the Krampus slowly parade their way along barricaded streets and give children candy. Although this is certainly less terrifying, it does lessen their role.

    There are those to whom being involved in Krampus runs is a hobby. These people often form groups or clubs, working on their masks or costumes throughout the year and then traveling around to various events in the first week of Advent.

   A Krampus can be cute, it can be made of chocolate or gingerbread and used to decorate the place of a child waking up on the 6th of January. Made of brioche, these demonic breakfast pastries grace the tables of otherwise conservative, often somewhat dry individuals. The juxtaposition going unnoticed in the buzz of excitement.

 In the evening of the fifth children traditionally clean their shoes, waiting for them to be filled by the coming Nikolo. They receive chocolates, dried fruit, nuts, mandarines, and sometimes gingerbread and small gifts. Whether the children wake up to filled shoes, or whether they are given a sack by a Nikolo is a question of personal preference. Many parents arrange to take their children to see the Nikolo or book a house visit. They then receive a pre-prepared sack from their parents or a generic one from the Nikolo.

 Many years ago the Nikolo was accompanied by a Krampus who would carry a sack and a whip to punish those children who were bad. My husband and his siblings never had the duo over as a result of the childhood trauma of his mother who remembers hiding under the bench to avoid the Krampus. While parents here are kind, as parents everywhere are, giving their children gifts regardless of their behavior, the reality of a Krampus is a reminder that there is an antithesis of good, and generosity. That evil does exist, creating havoc, fear, and want.

  When our children were young they received Nikolo sacks just like all other kids, since these sacks often started filling up with peanut shells and Nikolo wrappers, we have moved to plates. These plates are left out at each person's place and they can be put in a row on the buffet and enjoyed in a slightly neater way for as long as necessary. I am also flexible about the items on the plates. We always provide the basics but I try to find other dried fruits, for example, that I think people will enjoy. This should be a treat after all.

    Through the years I have come to realize that I don't really care for chocolate figures at all. I like how they look but I don't enjoy eating them. For that reason, I now get some other type of chocolate for Nikolo.

 Do you celebrate Nikolo? What do you think of the Krampus run? Do you go? Do you take your children? Let me know in the comments.

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