Weird + Wacky Holiday Traditions Around the World!

Austria's Krampus

According to Austrian folklore, jolly Saint Nicholas makes the rounds with a sidekick in tow - the devilish Krampus. This hairy creature visits Austrian children annually, but where Saint Nicholas bestows lavish gifts to all the good little girls and boys, Krampus does the unthinkable - he unleashes punishment to those on the naughty list! If he discovers a particularly bad child, he bundles him into a sack and carts him away, presumably for a midnight snack! The beastlike creature has Germanic roots and today, young people dress up as Krampus and roam the streets in Austria, Romania, Bavaria, and other Balkan countries to frighten young children. Merry-or not-so-merry-Krampus!