The depiction of Krampus varies because filmmakers often lack a clear understanding of the actual Krampus traditions from Austria. This leads to creative interpretations that differ from the original folklore.
Krampus originates from Austria, where it is traditionally associated with St. Nicholas during his December 5th visits to homes. The creature is meant to punish naughty children, but its exact origins are not well-documented.
Krampus gained international attention through the popularity of Christmas postcards from the late 1800s, which depicted the creature humorously. Later, the internet and modern media, including movies and books, further spread awareness of Krampus.
The Christmas Eve Mine Disaster in 1932 killed 54 miners in Moequa, Illinois, devastating the small community. The tragedy left a lasting impact, with Christmas Eve becoming a somber reminder of the disaster.
Clement C. Moore is commonly credited with writing 'Twas the Night Before Christmas, though some argue that Henry Livingston Jr. may have authored the poem. The true authorship remains a subject of debate.
In 1944, a teenager named Basil Saville experienced a series of ghostly events at St. Albans Abbey, including seeing hooded figures, hearing bells and organ music, and witnessing a phantom choir. These events were later linked to the abbey's history of ghostly occurrences.
The Krampus tradition evolved with the introduction of standardized costumes and masks in the early 1900s, followed by the creation of Krampus Runs in the 1980s, which are parades featuring people dressed as Krampus.
Darkness Syndicate members get the ad-free version. https://weirddarkness.com/syndicate)Info on the next LIVE SCREAM event. https://weirddarkness.com/LiveScream)Info on the next WEIRDO WATCH PARTY event. https://weirddarkness.com/TV)IN THIS EPISODE: We’re all familiar with the poem “A Visit From St. Nicholas” – better known as, “Twas The Night Before Christmas”. But while we know the poem, we can’t be quite as sure about who wrote it. (The Christmas Poem That Started a Feud) *** One of the great (and now, sadly, lapsed) Christmas traditions is the telling of ghost stories. On one particular year, a British teenager took this pastime to a whole other level. He didn't read about a Christmas Eve haunting. He experienced one. (The Phantom Choir of St. Albans) *** The past few years have made Krampus, the Christmas devil, a star of the big screen. But have you noticed that every version of him is different than the others? This may of course be in part to creative license, but it might have just as much if not more to do with the fact that none of the filmmakers had any idea of just what Krampus truly is, what he is all about, and how terrifying he can be. (Krampus, The Christmas Monster) *** Disaster strikes a small Illinois town on Christmas Eve, stripping away all that was merry and bright for the families who lived there. (The Christmas Eve Mine Disaster) *** (Originally aired December 09, 2021)SOURCES AND ESSENTIAL WEB LINKS…“The Christmas Eve Mine Disaster” by Troy Taylor: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2p97f84v)“The Christmas Poem That Started a Feud” by Henry Litchfield West for Victoriana Magazine:https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/52y4uaan)“Krampus, the Christmas Monster” by Garth Haslam for Monsters Here & There: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2p8r6ev4)“The Phantom Choir of St. Albans” from Strange Company: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/ycxyzk7p)Visit our Sponsors & Friends: https://weirddarkness.com/sponsors)Join the Weird Darkness Syndicate: https://weirddarkness.com/syndicate)Advertise in the Weird Darkness podcast or syndicated radio show: https://weirddarkness.com/advertise)= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =Weird Darkness theme by Alibi Music Library. Background music provided by Alibi Music Library, EpidemicSound and/or StoryBlocks with paid license. Music from Shadows Symphony (https://tinyurl.com/yyrv987t)), Midnight Syndicate (http://amzn.to/2BYCoXZ)) Kevin MacLeod (https://tinyurl.com/y2v7fgbu)), Tony Longworth (https://tinyurl.com/y2nhnbt7)), and Nicolas Gasparini (https://tinyurl.com/lnqpfs8)) is used with permission of the artists.= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =OTHER PODCASTS I HOST…Paranormality Magazine: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/paranormalitymag)Micro Terrors: Scary Stories for Kids: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/microterrors)Retro Radio – Old Time Radio In The Dark: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/retroradio)Church of the Undead: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/churchoftheundead)= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =(Over time links seen above may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.)= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = ="I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2024, Weird Darkness.https://weirddarkness.com/krampus-christmas-monster/)