Terrifying & True | Krampus: Alpine Folklore, Krampusnacht & Santa’s Dark Counterpart

Krampus brings horns, chains and punishment to the Alpine Christmas season. Terrifying & True follows the folklore of Saint Nicholas’s frightening companion through Krampusnacht, winter customs and the masked processions of the Krampuslauf. Birch switches, bells and baskets give the legend its unsettling imagery, while regional traditions and modern reinventions complicate simple claims about its origins. How did a figure meant to frighten children become a holiday attraction celebrated far beyond the Alps—and what still makes those bells sound like a warning? We're telling that story tonight.

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