Saturday, we woke up at 4:00 am after a night of not so much sleep to hit the slopes at Kitzsteinhorn. It was about an hour and a half of train and bus travel each way, but we got up to the mountain to ski and snowboard for a good part of the day. It was amazing, and absolutely beautiful.
After returning to Salzburg from skiing, we went to a Krampus fest. I'm sure you've heard some about this strange Christmas tradition before, and let me tell you, it's not exaggerated at all.
Krampus is the contrast to the Germanic Christmas saint St. Nikolaus. On the 5th of December, Krampus comes to warn children to behave. I find Krampus extremely fascinating. It was derived from a pagan, pre-Christian figure and was integrated into the Christian Christmas celebration today. It's incredible to have such an ancient idea celebrated along with something so familiar. But it still is rather terrifying. (My Austrian friends were telling me how scared they are of them, I'm pretty sure all of the children who are in attendance at these things must have suffered psychological damage at some point, I could barely handle it at the age of 16, I can't imagine being 5 and doing it.) Men dress up in these scary and hairy costumes (generally after some drinking) to stomp around and whip people with switches. Their costumes have bells, so you can always hear them coming. Krampuslauf is the German word for a Krampus run, and this is usually when they're let loose. The one we attended was a bit relaxed compared to a serious Krampuslauf, but it was enough to scare us all. First they paraded down the street, but then they would walk through the crowd. One knocked over our table of glühwein and punsch, and I saw one carrying a small child and the mother running after it. I didn't get especially good pictures or videos, if they saw you trying to record they'd single you out and whip you. If you stood out at all, actually, you were targeted. After a while, St. Nikolaus came. He traditionally wears a red and white outfit similar to a bishop's, and after the children promise good behavior, he rewards them with oranges, chocolates, and small gifts. During the night, St. Nikolaus delivers these gifts in shoes left out by the children.
(it was mad chaos and even though people were taking selfies with the Krampuses I was not about to risk my life for a picture, this is as good as it gets)
Germanic Christmas actually doesn't have a Santa Claus. Instead, the Christkind (literally "Christ child", so baby Jesus but in the form of a winged baby) is the one who decorates the Christmas tree and delivers presents Christmas Eve.
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