My love of Krampus

I remember when I was very young, my grandparents took my family to see the Pittsburg Ballet perform the Nutcracker.  I loved it.  I didn't really understand it at the time, but I remember the Mouse King and the giant lady who, when she lifted her dress, dozens of children ran out from under her.

Before the ballet began, we went to a museum that was close by.  The exhibit was different Santa Clauses from around the world.  Mannequins were carefully dressed and placed in vignettes inside the gallery space.  I remember La Befana, the Italian witch-like character who does the job of Santa, Belsnickel, Santa's companion, and of course the Krampus.

The idea that a demon would whip naughty children, chain them, and stuff them in a sack on Christmas Eve, only to drag them back to it's cave high in the mountains and boil them for his Christmas dinner was both horrifying and fantastic to my 5-year-old mind.  From then on I was hooked.

The Krampus is gaining in popularity in the United States for the past few years.  A movie just came out and though it was funny and silly, it didn't really explain why the Krampus was to be feared.  I'm cooking a drawing in my mind and though I will be working on it over the winter holidays, I'm not in a rush to complete it any time soon.  A figure that has captured my imagination for most of my life deserves to be drawn carefully and with respect.

Fear the Krampus!

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