Krampus

On the evening of December 5, in South Tyrol, adults and children ask themselves “Have I been good this year?”

In case the answer to this question is “no”, then you should start worrying, because the 5th of December is the night of Krampus.
Krampus are fearful beast-like creatures of the night, who wander in the streets in search of misbehaving children to torment them with their pranks. Fortunately, there is Saint Nicholas who keeps an eye on Krampus to prevent them from going too wild.
That one of Krampus is an ancient tradition that roots in the pagan beliefs and has come down to us mediated by Christian mythology. But the figure of Krampus has not remained linked only to the religious imagery; soon, it has become a part of the folklore culture, and in the early ‘900s the greeting cards illustrating Krampus were numerous and very popular.

The parade of Krampus in Dobbiaco/Toblach: Among numerous parades of Krampus organized in South Tyrol, one of the most charming ones is the Krampus parade in Dobbiaco. In fact, over 3.000 Krampuses from all over Europe arrive in this town of Val Pusteria/Pustertal to participate in the parade. It’s a unique show to be admired by the whole family.