Apparently, horned demons prowling the streets around Christmas is a normal occurrence in some places.
Santa Claus is too tame for Austria, the Czech Republic and other European countries.Β One of the most exciting things Christmas brings is Krampus, an animalistic demon of debatable origins, that prowls throughΒ Central Europe around the end of the year. The Krampus Festival celebrates this evil creature, who has βflaming coals for eyes, matted fur and twisting stag horns who slaps people with birch twigs and kidnaps children in a large sack or casket so he can later drown or eat themβ.
In the weeks leading up toΒ Christmas, these beasts are prowling the streets of Kaplice, a city in the Czech Republic. They’re so terrifying and bizarre that some towns have had to tell Syrian refugees not to be afraid!
Here’s what Christmas spirit in Eastern EuropeΒ looks like:
1. The “Krampuses” are all pretty different.
2. But they’re equally terrifying.
3. They emerge through the mist in this menacing manner.
4. They emulate Satan.
5. They laugh in the face of fire.
6. This guy’s not quite there yet.
7. They haunt kids dreams.
8. Hold up pitchforks
9. Wield their horns.
10. They look no less scary indoors.
11. Yep. This is Christmas.
