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Krampus's name is derived from the German word krampen, meaning claw, and is said to be the son of Hel in Norse mythology. (Some of these helpers, such as Zwarte Piet in The Netherlands have attracted recent controversy.) France has Hans Trapp and Père Fouettard. Parts of Germany and Austria dread the beastly Krampus, while other Germanic regions have Belsnickle and Knecht Ruprecht, black-bearded men who carry switches to beat children. Many European cultures not only welcomed the kindly man as a figure of generosity and benevolence to reward the good, but they also feared his menacing counterparts who punished the bad.

His saints day falls in early December, which helped strengthen his association with the Yuletide season. Nicholas is the patron saint of children. He then hauls the bad kids down to the underworld. Nicholas comes with a chain and bells that he lashes about, along with a bundle of birch sticks meant to swat naughty children. Krampus isn't exactly the stuff of dreams: Bearing horns, dark hair, fangs, and a long tongue, the anti-St. When listening to the radio in December, it's unlikely to hear holiday songs singing the praises of Krampus: a half-goat, half-demon, horrific beast who literally beats people into being nice and not naughty.