Hello and happy December!
We can't quite believe it's already that time of year, although in all honesty these past few months have been met with equal parts wondering where the time has gone and a general feeling of being stuck - so we have mixed feelings about it! That being said, we are getting into the Christmas Spirit, and today has been one of clearing, cleaning and getting ready for the coming month. (We'll need to do it all again once that tree goes down, but between us - we quite like a good clean and sort!) We are however, really happy that we have something to look forward to and although we know that this Festive Season may not be the same as usual, we still believe that the coming few weeks can still retain their magic, and that the build up can be just as exciting (if not more so!) than the Big Day itself.
Lovers of a good tradition, this week's blog post is about just that! Trigger warning here - it's a creepy one, so let's hope you've all been good boys and girls this year. Having said that, perhaps he'll give you a free pass after this year... (We'll try and keep this one light! Ha!) But still, prepare for a scare...
Have you ever heard of The Krampus?! Krampus Night or "Krampusnacht" is the age old folk story of a half demon, half goat being who scours the villages on the night of December 5th (lock your doors!) on the hunt for naughty children to take away in his sack! (search online for it - some of the images are nightmare-inducing!) We'd like to think that the tale is told in jest, but as you can see if you search for 'Krampus Festival', the images of people dressed up and parading the streets in order to celebrate the occasion is quite a sight! It may not sound ultra-festive, but the hoofed creature is thought by some to be the alternate Saint Nick, and whose job is the complete opposite! Instead of rewarding good children, Krampus would (according to different sources!) take the children away in his sack, beat them with his birch branch (harsh) or one of an array of other horrendous things!
Krampus cards were a popular tradition dating back to the 1800s! Known as Krampuskarten, how would you feel about getting one of these in the post?!
This family seem okay with it - do you reckon they've just had enough?! Believe it or not, we've side-stepped the creepiest of images, but feel free to peruse at your leisure!
Celebrated mostly in certain parts of Europe, and one of the oldest folk stories on record, Krampus is still gaining popularity today! Could be worth a mention to the kids tonight.. Ha! We kid...
Check out our Festive Krampus Krates we 'Kreated' last year for the occasion, something to keep the old guy sweet!
Have a fantastic start to December, speak to you soon!
The Pretty Odd Team x
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