Each year in early December, American internet users become bewildered by the sight of people parading down an Alpine street, dressed to the nines in beast-like costumes and ghoulish masks, waving flamed torches and beating drums. Fear not, the Europeans have not declined into devil worship – this is an age-old tradition steeped in folklore. The rest of this article is behind a paywall. Please sign in or subscribe to access the full content.

Krampusnacht , meaning "Krampus Night", is celebrated in Alpine regions of Central Europe, namely around southern Germany, the Czech Republic, Austria, Liechtenstein, and northern Italy. It centers around the character of Krampus, a half-goat, half-man creature with devilish horns, often described as the dark, mischievous counterpart to St. Nicholas,

See Full Page