Vacation Time!

With the vacations fast approaching, it’s time to get into that holiday spirit. With high speed travel breaking down international boundaries, it’s now possible to vacation virtually anywhere in the world. Yet how do the people of the world celebrate their holidays? Let’s have a look at some of the more interesting customs celebrated annually across the globe.

If you find yourself in an alpine region of Austria next December, be very, very careful where you wander on December 5th, in particular! While it’s possible to find Krampus toys and chocolates all throughout Austria, it’s in the small mountain villages where this character really packs a punch… literally!

The Krampus is a demon figure who traditionally accompanies Nikolaus, the gift-giver to good children. The Krampus, however, frightens children with a costume of rusty chains, bells, red wooden masks and horns. In small rural areas, it’s the custom for the young men dressed as Krampus to chase after children and young females and give them a birching… ouch! Now that’s a holiday that takes some beating!

Just like Xmas crackers and Santa hats, the Krampus tradition is part of the annual yuletide celebrations. The Christmas hats and masks of these customary folk rituals date to a pre-Christian era, however, and their pagan origins can be traced throughout the whole of Europe.

Nevertheless, these folk legends seem to have taken hold strongly in the most staunch Catholic regions and countries, such as Austria and Bavaria. These days, it’s a great excuse for party accessories and fancy dress, but keep in mind that with threats like naughty children being thrown into a river to drown in a sack (as does the Schmutzli figure in Swiss folklore), there’s definitely a darker edge to the end-of-year festivities!