Everyone knows about Santa, but have you heard of his companion, Krampus? This frightening figure is often paired with Saint Nick and is believed to have originated in Germany. In Norse Pagan lore, he is rumored to be the son of Hel, the Norse god of the underworld. Krampus is said to appear on the night of December 5th, Krampusnacht, and search for all the naughty children to bestow their deserved punishment or steal them in the night. The legend of Krampus can be traced in written documents back to the 16th century.
For the 2nd year in a row, Strange Brew Occult Shop confirmed they will be hosting their own Krampus from 2-4pm this Saturday, December 10th, as well as Christmas Eve. Selfies and photo-ops are highly welcome and encouraged! Strange Brew intends on Krampus’s visits being a longstanding tradition, and they are thrilled with the positive interactions, honks, and waves he’s received from the general public. Although not all places are as welcoming, across state lines in Poteau, Oklahoma this Yuletide beast brought about some Christmas chaos.
This past weekend, December 3rd, A Christmas parade was held in downtown Poteau, Oklahoma in celebration of the holidays. A local shop, Sidewinder Signs, wanted to include their own life-sized contribution to the festivities. Once word spread about the anomaly, people across the city had much to say, including Mayor Scotty White. The following is a direct quote from his personal Facebook account.
“I have seen the post and are aware of the proposed subject matter from a local business downtown. I have called and requested that the business owner not do what he is planning and that I personally don’t agree with it. With that being said, I do not have the authority to make him not do it on private property, he has assured me that his subject matter will not leave his storefront and not interested in scaring kids…..not sure how will be possible, but I too am disappointed.
Regardless, we will carry on with the best CHRISTmas parade Poteau has ever seen and will not let a little bump in the road ruin a holly jolly time in downtown Poteau! Jesus is the reason for the season!!!
PS
Even tho it looks like I do not believe this character is the devil. Google will give you the history on the character.”
Much to his dismay, Billy Spearman, owner of Sidewinder Signs, unknowingly ignited some holiday fear by introducing Krampus to the public. The following is a quote from Spearman within a Facebook group that was created following the discourse.
“ I love art, science fiction, and especially horror. When we moved our shop downtown a few years ago, I thought it would be cool to have a retail store that specialized in mostly science fiction and horror! Since I have the ability to create a cool monster suit and a 6'7" son who loves to dress up as scary things and interact with people, I thought it would be cool to have him be Krampus and take pictures before the Christmas parade. What could be the harm in that? My mistake was in jokingly saying he was going to scare people and posting a picture of a vintage Krampus Christmas card illustration. People freaked out, and more than a couple of them threatened violence against my son who would be in the costume. That was disappointing to say the least, but the outpouring of support we received has been fantastic. I couldn't be more grateful to the open minded and fun-loving members of the community that I love!”
Thankfully, there were no reports of physical violence or verbal threats during the festivities, and many people did enjoy the experience. This bodes well, as according to some countries, unlike Santa’s nice list that only consists of children, adults are not immune to Krampus’s claws.
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