Winter Monsters. Krampus

Now Winter is opening  the doors into a pantheon of imaginary supernatural beings. Pre-Christian European mythology is full of those incredible characters.
Later a pagan legends merged with Christian traditions and revealed a famous Christmas monsters who are usually became a shadows or counterparts of a saints. And because anti heros are always stealing the show we are proud to present a new chapter devoted to a Winter Monsters and incredible visual traditions related to them. Please welcome the first one from this unforgettable gallery of characters:

Krampus

(Southern Germany, Austria)
 

He is a satyr-like beast – man with long tongue.
This character originated from pagan Alpine traditions and became one of the creepiest Christmas villains.
St. Nicholas itself became popular in Gemany in XI Century. From XV Krampus-like masked characters appeared in Medieval Church plays. But only from XVII Century Krampus turned into St.Nickolas ” legal” counterpart, partner-in-crime. He symbolised Devil and was busy with dirty work. He visits children on Christmas Eve, binds a most misbehaved ones in chains and eats them for dinner.