Krampus is the dark companion of St. Nicholas, the
traditional European winter gift-bringer who rewards
good children each year on December 6. The kindly
old Saint leaves the task of punishing bad children to a
hell-bound counterpart The Horned Devil, also known
as Krampusknown by many names across the continent — Knecht Ruprecht, Certa, Perchten, Black Peter,
Schmutzli, Pelznickel, Klaubauf, and Krampus. Usually
seen as a classic devil with horns, cloven hooves and
monstrous tongue, but can also be spotted as a sinister gentleman dressed in black, or a hairy man-beast.
Krampus punishes the naughty children, swatting them
with switches and rusty chains before dragging them,
in baskets, to a fiery place below.