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http://www.krampus.com/
[youtube]6EmqsEHl3P8[/youtube]
Who is Krampus and his hermaphroditic counterpart Frau Perchta? They are the epitome of Yuletide Dom(mes)!
As you can tell from the video, Krampus hails from Switzerland, Germany, Austria, and into France and Northern Italy. Pretty much anywhere they speak German or once spoke German, he makes an appearance.
Although now most folks associate him with St. Nick and Santa and see him as a minor devil, he was originally a Pagan nature spirit in his purest form that was associated with the Winter Solstice. His original purpose wasn’t to necessarily punish people, although he was a bringer of justice. His original purpose was to scare off winter and bring about spring.
He is a carry over of the horned nature and pastoral gods like Pan and Cernunnos and of the trickster god Loki. This can clearly be seen in his appearance and in the etymology of his name–”claw”. Originally he brought chains to bind up winter and any roaming negative spirits. He wore bells to wake the Earth up from it’s slumber and to ward off negativity. He was also a bringer of fertility. He is often portrayed riding a broom, which was a common sympathetic magic performed in fields to show the crops how high to grow.
In the same spirit of Lupercalia, he bears a birch rod. The rod is seen as a phallic device. With every lick he imparted his fertile seed to the community. The beatings with the birch can also be seen in the same light as beating the bounds of ones home to ward off evil, which may be how his whippings were twisted into a punitive context by early Christians.
And why does Krampus have his tongue out? The better to eat you out with, my dear!
The Christian version of Krampus is still a big deal in German speaking countries and the pockets of the world where Germanic folks settled. Instead of celebrating him on the Solstice, he is celebrated the night before St. Nicolaus’ Day. Every year there are huge Krampus runs in the Alps, where everyone turns out. The runs were originally done by young men to chase away winter and to bring about the spring. However, in some areas the runs were more like an enactment of the Wild Hunt than of a Yule Vigil. Kids today look forward to Krampusnacht and stoically bear whatever beating they may receive.
http://www.krampus.com/
[youtube]6EmqsEHl3P8[/youtube]
Who is Krampus and his hermaphroditic counterpart Frau Perchta? They are the epitome of Yuletide Dom(mes)!
As you can tell from the video, Krampus hails from Switzerland, Germany, Austria, and into France and Northern Italy. Pretty much anywhere they speak German or once spoke German, he makes an appearance.
Although now most folks associate him with St. Nick and Santa and see him as a minor devil, he was originally a Pagan nature spirit in his purest form that was associated with the Winter Solstice. His original purpose wasn’t to necessarily punish people, although he was a bringer of justice. His original purpose was to scare off winter and bring about spring.
He is a carry over of the horned nature and pastoral gods like Pan and Cernunnos and of the trickster god Loki. This can clearly be seen in his appearance and in the etymology of his name–”claw”. Originally he brought chains to bind up winter and any roaming negative spirits. He wore bells to wake the Earth up from it’s slumber and to ward off negativity. He was also a bringer of fertility. He is often portrayed riding a broom, which was a common sympathetic magic performed in fields to show the crops how high to grow.
In the same spirit of Lupercalia, he bears a birch rod. The rod is seen as a phallic device. With every lick he imparted his fertile seed to the community. The beatings with the birch can also be seen in the same light as beating the bounds of ones home to ward off evil, which may be how his whippings were twisted into a punitive context by early Christians.
And why does Krampus have his tongue out? The better to eat you out with, my dear!
The Christian version of Krampus is still a big deal in German speaking countries and the pockets of the world where Germanic folks settled. Instead of celebrating him on the Solstice, he is celebrated the night before St. Nicolaus’ Day. Every year there are huge Krampus runs in the Alps, where everyone turns out. The runs were originally done by young men to chase away winter and to bring about the spring. However, in some areas the runs were more like an enactment of the Wild Hunt than of a Yule Vigil. Kids today look forward to Krampusnacht and stoically bear whatever beating they may receive.
