older Posted November 13, 2011 Share Posted November 13, 2011 Our Sunday paper funnies section includes Ripley's Believe it or Not, which today included a blurb on Krampus. Previously unknown to me, I note that, if the Devil wasn't enough, we now have an additional way to scare the shit out of little kids. Apparently, Krampus goes along with Santa and punishes the bad children. Here's a line from Wikipedia: "Traditionally, young men dress up as the Krampus in Austria and southern Bavaria, especially the market town Berchtesgaden, during the first two weeks of December, particularly on the evening of 5 December, and roam the streets frightening children with rusty chains and bells." I've attempted to attach an image of Krampus below. If it doesn't show, try a Google search for images. Great way to get your kid to sleep on Christmas eve. Must be lots of fun for the adults? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lilcoppertop Posted November 13, 2011 Share Posted November 13, 2011 Now THAT is just scary! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Moderator buffettphan Posted November 13, 2011 Super Moderator Share Posted November 13, 2011 Never heard of that one before either. I have a friend, who as a child, spent several years in Holland. Because he was a foreigner and unfamiliar with the local legend, the local kids teased him about Zwarte Pieten. On Christmas, the good children were given presents from Sinterklaas (Santa Claus) and the bad children were either kidnapped or received switches from Zwarte Pieten for their parents to beat the shit out of them. Needless to say, my friend did not enjoy xmas in Holland! I just looked in Wiki. The following snippet pretty much sums up the legend back when my friend lived there -- in the 1960's. ... if they have been bad, a Piet will scoop them up, stuff them in his large burlap sack and spirit them away to Spain as punishment. Though this is increasingly uncommon nowadays, he can still carry some type of scourge (called a "roe"), especially a bundle of birch branches, which could be used for birching or in modern words, to beat children who have been too naughty to deserve presents. The character is believed to have been derived from pagan traditions of evil spirits. Also told for decades is a story that the Zwarte Pieten are black because of chimney soot and/or in mockery of the darker Spanish occupiers of the Low Countries in centuries past. Sometimes I wonder just how many different ways people can think up to terrify kids... And what kind of psycho enjoys coming up with this kind of shit... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DesertBob Posted November 14, 2011 Share Posted November 14, 2011 Sometimes I wonder just how many different ways people can think up to terrify kids... And what kind of psycho enjoys coming up with this kind of shit... I've always regarded it as a failure to grasp the concept that getting anyone to do the right thing for the wrong reason is not a sustainable proposition. If you do good because you fear punishment, that is far inferior to doing good because you choose to and believe it is ethical, moral and beneficial. Reigns of terror like this are a lame admission that you have no idea how to nuture and mentor children. It also probably reflects that this is what you grew up with yourself; you don't know anything else. The same principle by which any abuse is propagated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaiser01 Posted November 15, 2011 Share Posted November 15, 2011 watch Krampus replace satan in 2000 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dhampir Posted November 15, 2011 Share Posted November 15, 2011 I think he may have been featured on an episode of The Venture Bros. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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