The festive season wasn’t always about mince pies and wanton consumerism. In fact, ancient folklore was more O Holy Fright than O Holy Night
Welcome to the Krampusnacht edition of Shock of the Old! I hope you’ve brought your horse skull, horns and whip. If you’re imagining delighted children, jolly gifts and gingerbread, you’ve come to the wrong column: ’tis the season of ineffable terror (yes, ha ha, just like your family Christmas). In European folklore, Krampusnacht, or Krampus Night, falls on 5 December, marking the arrival of Krampus, a half-goat, half-demon that punishes naughty children during the festive season.
Scrolling through pictures of shadowy, ragged, often armed seasonal figures, I’ve been wondering why European winter folklore is so chilling. Why do “season’s greetings” in some parts mean “watch out for the witch with the large and misshapen goose foot – she’ll slit your belly open and stuff it with straw”? It’s fascinating how it’s a time of dread as much as celebration: in Serbia, the 12 days of Christmas were considered “unbaptised” time, when demonic forces were at their most powerful and all sorts of awfulness – yes, worse than braving the Next sale queue on Boxing Day – might happen to the unwary.
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