Krampus Doll

" Krampus Visits "

The truth will out come Christmas Eve,
When many a child shall be deceived!
As stockings still hung and filled... quite meagerly,
Are opened by the naughty child, so eagerly!
No toys, nor trinkets, not even a sweet,
Just chunks of coal tumbling to their feet!
With a naughty list and switch in hand,
The laughing Krampus shouts " How grand! "
No Saintly Nick with his bag of toys,
Just old Krampus, visiting naughty girls and boys!
by F. Thompson

Why on earth do I have a red devil on my blog...and at Christmas time! It all began because I am a member of a Halloween Ebay group called HA31. They held a Krampus challenge for December 5th. Unfortunately for me, I was too late to list my doll in time (I had joined the group after the deadline). Nevertheless, I just had to make my own Krampus doll.

My dapper little devil stands at 18 inches and wears a hounds-tooth flannel suit. He is made out of cloth and paperclay and is painted bright red. The naughty little boy is a simple rag doll painted with acrylics. Krampus' switch is made from my broom and tied to a chopstick. I will sell him in September 2008.

Here is a brief description on Krampus day from Wikipedia:

The word Krampus originates from the Old High German word for claw (Krampen). In the Alpine region the Krampus is represented by an incubus in company of St Nicholas. Traditionally, young men dress up as the Krampus in the first two weeks of December and particularly in the evening of December 5 and roam the streets frightening children (and adults) with rusty chains and bells. In some rural areas also slight birching especially of young females by the Krampus is part of tradition.



Below is a cute Krampus commercial from G4.

As a dollmaker and storyteller, I loved the chance to make a Krampus doll. Furthermore, and on a more fundamental level, I find the concept interesting and rather amusing. While Krampus is a pre-Christian celebration of Christmas, it reminds us there are consequences for bad behavior. It is the old and compelling principle of good and evil. Also, it is meant to scare children straight. I mean come on. What's better than scaring the daylights out of little bratty kids! So have you been good? Or have you been naughty? Remember that old Christmas carol, Santa Claus is Coming to Town? [Santa's] gonna find out who's been naughty or nice. And then he's gonna sic Krampus on the naughty ones.

Merry Christmas!
Melisa