bebelestrange: In turn -of-the-century Europe, if...

In turn -of-the-century Europe, if you were bad you got a visit from KRAMPUS! Originating in Germany and the Teutonic countries, KRAMPUS acted as Santa’s servant. As time passed KRAMPUS developed a rather malicious disposition and became almost an Anti-Santa. While jolly St. Nick delivered gifts to the good, KRAMPUS gave coal and rocks to the naughty, beat the bad with switches, and if a child was especially naughty, he would shackle them in chains, stuff them in a bucket and throw them into the fiery pits of hell! Beginning in the 1880’s KRAMPUS appeared on cards that were sent on the Eve Of St. Nick and was depicted as a black dwarf dressed in a fur vest, Moorish clothes and a devil mask or horns. As time passed his feet were replaced with claws or hooves (sometimes one of each) and his body itself became covered in fur and he wore little or no clothing. Sometimes a common “devil” type tail is also added. Eventually his tongue became obscenely long as did his horns. On some occasions cards were sent not with a picture of KRAMPUS but with a simple picture of his switch or chains and the phrase “Gruss Vom Krampus!” (Greetings From Krampus) or “Brav Sein!” (Be Good). By the time of the 1960’s KRAMPUS became more associated with adults and sex (much like a St. Valentine’s Day devil)