Category Archives: Christmas

Titles of Interest: The Krampus and the Old, Dark Christmas

The Krampus and the Old, Dark Christmas: Roots and the Rebirth of the Folkloric Devil by Al Ridenour (Feral House, 2016) With the appearance of the demonic Christmas character Krampus in contemporary Hollywood movies, television shows, advertisements, and greeting cards, medieval folklore has now been revisited in American culture. Krampus-related events and parades occur both […]

Christmas and Ghost Stories

While listening to Christmas music today I caught a part in one of the lyrics for “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” that mentioned telling scary ghost stories. I posted an inquiry on Facebook about the origins of this in the evolution of Christmas, and in addition to its incorporation in Victorian practices, […]

Move Over Santa: Merry Krampus

Today I learned of a new twist that has been associated with the various historical and cultural influences that have gone into our contemporary Christmas holiday. Apparently there is the Krampus creature that comes from European Alpine folklore. This monster accompanied St. Nicholas and whereas St. Nick would pass out gifts to the good children, […]

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