The Krampus, I read on, in Central European folklore, is a horned anthropomorphic creature; a mythical half-goat, half-demon monster who must punish misbehaving children at Christmastime. Krampus is the evil brother or ‘shadow self’ of St Nicholas. Traditionally the pair appear as a team, working together, with St Nicholas （the patron saint of children） rewarding the good once a year while Krampus punishes the bad. The legend of the Krampus is believed to have originated in Germany and Eastern Europe, the name deriving from the Germanic word Krampen, meaning ‘claw’。 The Krampus is often depicted as a Christmas devil carrying chains and birch sticks, which he uses to whip bad children, and a sack on his back in which he can drag them to hell.
Drag them to hell. Jesus, actual, Christ.
Krampusnacht celebrations often include an appearance of the two characters and usually end in children receiving presents, in shoes they have left out – something nice if they have been good and birch sticks or coal if they have been bad.
Okay, so they don’t get dragged to hell, at least. That’s a relief. I suppose, in a way, it kind of sounds like trick or treating. Perhaps Krampusnacht is a sort of Christmassy Halloween for Eastern Europeans. It could be a fun night, I reason tentatively, though it does potentially sound like low-level child abuse. But then I guess even the tooth fairy could take on a sinister edge viewed through other cultures. Why would a fairy need to collect so many human teeth? What does she do with them?
Krampusnacht games: races are popular in some European countries such as Austria, Germany and the Czech Republic, where a costumed Krampus will terrorize excited children into behaving themselves throughout the year.
Outdoor games. I suppose that explains why I might need a torch. Fiona said Edward had brought one last year. How did I not know he attended this event last year? You’d think he might have mentioned it at least in passing on one of our long-distance Zooms. I guess he’d have worried it would sound weird, but as weird as it does sound, I am interested. But, then, it would seem I’m interested in everything to do with Edward and his bizarre family.
I round the corner of our building, stride into the lobby and head straight for the lift up to the apartment. I have a lot of questions for Edward, and I presume he has answers.
17 Forewarned is Forearmed
Monday 12 December
Edward facepalms when I tell him that I’ve signed us up for Krampusnacht. ‘You’ve done it again, haven’t you?’ he asks, half-amused, half-incredulous. ‘Accepted an offer with absolutely no idea of what you’re getting yourself into. Why the hell didn’t you just say we were busy?’
‘Because we’re not busy, and your family are making a lot of offers and I can’t turn them all down. Besides, I thought it might be fun. Festive.’
He snorts a laugh. ‘Yeah, it’ll be festive. You’ve basically signed us up for a night of babysitting, you know that, right?’ he says with a light shake of the head.
‘We’re hardly babysitting, Ed. It’s a party? Or a dinner, isn’t it? I don’t know,’ I admit. ‘But I think it’s sweet that Billy wants me to come. He likes me; it’s cute.’
‘Of course he likes you. You are the most caring person I know. It’s crazy that you don’t see that. Even Billy sees it.’ He pulls me close to him, his arms round my shoulders. ‘It’s the first thing I noticed about you. Beautiful and kind. It’s rarer than you’d think.’
I give him side-eye. ‘Thanks for the flattery, but it’s not going to get you out of explaining to me what the hell a Krampus is.’
He laughs, releasing me and, perching on a kitchen stool, splays his hands out on the countertop. ‘Okay, where to start? A potted history of Holbeck Krampusnacht. I guess it started with Mitzi; her family did it and she brought it over from Germany with her. Alfred and Mitzi did it for their kids when they had them – that was my father’s father and his uncles. Then when my dad was a kid, his parents did it until they, you know—’