By Francesca Lungarotti

During November and December each year Krampus parades and festivals are enjoyed across the countries of Europe’s eastern Alpine arc.  These cultural events take place in Austria, Bavaria, Switzerland, Slovenia, and two Italian regions, Trentino-Alto Adige and Friuli Venezia Giulia, and some parades are also held in Veneto.

The word Krampus is derived from the Bavarian krampn, meaning “dead” or “rotten,” and from the German word krampen, meaning “claw” or “hook”.  The Krampus are monstrous, animalistic demons whose origins are ancient, ancestral, and mysterious.  They are linked to pagan cults and legends with references to Celtic mythology.  The story of the Krampus is as fantastical as the magic that permeates their presence.

According to the most famous legend, which is believed to be of Christian origin, during times of famine, some young men from the mountains dressed as devils to terrorize the inhabitants of nearby villages and steal their winter supplies. Among the young men, an impostor hid – it was the devil himself! One of the men recognized the devil by his goat-hoofed legs and warned the others that something was wrong. Frightened, they invoked the help of Bishop Nicholas, who managed to defeat the demon. Since then, in homage to the victory of good over evil, Saint Nicholas began to wander from house to house, bestowing gifts on good children, accompanied by his servant, Krampus, who takes care of the naughty ones!!

The parades and festivals celebrate a world of rituals and frightening masks that evoke the constant conflict between good and evil, day and night, and light and darkness. Tyrolean carvers are famous for crafting the wooden masks that the Krampus wears, and bells are tied to his abdomen to make as much noise as possible. All this takes place in the extraordinary setting of valleys, forests, and mountains.  

Photographers from the Reda Agency, a contributing partner to UIG, have provided us with terrific coverage of Krampus festivals.

All images in this post are copyrighted to Reda/Universal Images Group.  All images featured in this post and on Kaleidoscope are available for licensing.  Please contact us at info@universalimagesgroup.com

Sources:

Pinetatureresort.it; Krampus, leggenda e sfilate in Trentino Alto Adige 2025/26 October 16, 2025

Greenme.it; Laura De Rossa; Krampus: le origini dei diavoli che accompagnano San Nicola e dove vederli – greenMe December 6, 2022