Feeling Kramped?

When you host a German student and your son lives over there for a while, you start to pay more attention to another country's culture and traditions. Even their strange Christmas ones.

It's Krampus Night! For those of you with German heritage, maybe you already celebrate it.

According to Wiki-Robyn: The day is based on Krampus, a mythical beast that is half-demon and half-goat. Characteristically similar to some creatures in Greek mythology, it has fangs, horns, cowbells on its waist, and a switch made of birch sticks meant for whipping or swatting naughty children. The harshness of its appearance is fitting, as Krampus comes from the German word "krampen," which means claw.

Freaked out yet?

According to folklore, on the evening of December 5 – that's TONIGHT – Krampus punishes children who have been bad by whipping them with his switch. He then takes them to his lair. He is the counterpart to St. Nicholas, a European gift giver who arrives the following day. He is also contrasted with Santa, who rewards those who have been good and are on his "nice" list.

I think I'll just stick with the German pickle tradition, which our "son" Lukas and family introduced us to. 

More Wiki-Robyn info: A very old Christmas Eve tradition in Germany was to hide a pickle (ornament, that is) deep in the branches of the family Christmas tree. Whichever child found it first on Christmas  morning would receive an extra gift from St. Nicholas. The first adult who finds the pickle traditionally gets good luck for the whole year. I like that part because I'm the one who hides it and no one else looks for it. Merry Christmas to me! 

Sweet dreams on this Krampus Night. Hope you have a jar of pickles or something to ward off the krampen! Yikes.

Be careful out there whichever holiday season you're celebrating!