[[quoteright:250:[[http://missmonster.deviantart.com http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tvtropes_krampus_5299.jpg]]]]
[[caption-width-right:250:Really just fills you with that old-time Christmas Spirit, doesn't he?]]
Krampus is [[OurDemonsAreDifferent an Alpine mountain Christmas demon]] who figures heavily in the Christmas traditions of Central Alpine Europe. According to legend, Krampus accompanies [[SantaClaus St. Nicholas]] during the early Christmas season. Depending on the story, Krampus is either a regular demon enslaved by St. Nicholas to do the Saint's bidding, or is a demon who willingly and gladly works as St. Nicholas's partner. Krampus acts as the Bad Cop to St. Nicholas's Good Cop, warning and punishing bad children into being good, in contrast to St. Nicholas, who instead rewards good children with simple, small gifts.

In the Alpine regions, Krampus takes the form of a giant demon covered in goat, bear or ram fur, his head sporting large horns with a long, slavering tongue often hanging out of his mouth. Depending on the story, Krampus may have chained shackles on his wrists, signifying his enslavement to St. Nicholas. Generally though, Krampus will be wearing several large bells (as a warning to any who hear them that he's coming), along with a large wicker basket and birch rod. If someone has been bad, Krampus will either threaten a beating with his birch rod or actually give one. If his target has been particularly bad, then Krampus stuffs them into his wicker basket, and drags them off to punish them for their crimes. Depending on the story, Krampus will either bring them to St. Nicholas's home, Krampus's own mountain underworld, Hell, or [[ValuesDissonance mid 12th century Moorish/Muslim Spain.]]

Traditionally, young men in Southern Germany, Austria, Hungary, Switzerland, Slovenia, and even Northern Italy dress up as the Krampus during the first two weeks of December, particularly on the evening of December 5, and roam the streets in grand, sweeping parades through town. Often, they will go after adults in the audience who are in on the fun, especially tourists encountering their first "Krampus Parade" or attractive young women. Curiously, despite their fearsome appearance and reputation, the (plural) Krampusi are generally fairly kind to children, generally exempting them from the schenanigans they pull on the adults.

Despite the frightening overtones, Krampus is quite a popular character in the Alpine countries. He brings some harmless "scary" fun to the Christmas season, not unlike what happens at Halloween. He is also not alone as the companion of St. Nicholas. Compare him with [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knecht_Ruprecht Knecht Ruprecht]], a German character who performs a similar role (though more as a stern authority figure than a nasty devil), [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zwarte_Piet Zwarte Piet]], a Dutch character said to put bad children in a sack and take them to Spain, or [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perchta the Lady Perchta]], a female version of Krampus who can either be [[HotAsHell drop-dead gorgeous]] or [[NightmareFuel hideously ugly]]. See also BadSanta, which the Krampus is occasionally portrayed as.

!!Depictions of the Krampus in media

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[[folder: Advertisement ]]

* [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0s6WNL80Hw This G4 commercial.]]

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[[folder: Anime and Manga ]]

* In ''Manga/AxisPowersHetalia'', Hungary dresses up as the Krampus every Christmas to scare Italy. He still hasn't figured out that it's her.

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[[folder: Comic Books ]]

* '''Twas the Night Before Krampus: A Tale of St. Nicholas Christmas''. A dark revamp of Santa and an even darker revamp of Krampus.
* Appears in the 2010 story "Grounded" in the erratically published PaulDini comic ''JingleBelle''.
* ''{{Chickenhare}}'' has a Krampus named Banjo.
* The horror comic ''GrimmFairyTales'' featured the Krampus in its 2010 holiday special.
* Amy, Rory and Mels encounter (and defeat) the Krampus as eight year olds in the ''Magazine/DoctorWhoMagazine'' strip "Imaginary Enemies".

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[[folder: Literature ]]

* In ''Krampus: The Yule Lord'', the plot revolves around a feud between Santa and Krampus. The two are depicted as a bit more morally ambiguous in this tale.
* The anthology book ''T'was The Night Before Krampus And Other Holiday Horror Stories'' includes the tale of the Krampus (obviously) among others.
* ''Krampus: A Christmas Tale'' by Phil Ives is a retelling of the tale for children.
* ''A Kiss from Krampus'' is an erotic story. About the Krampus. That says it all.
* ''The Moonlight Monsters Detective Agency'' has a Christmas story that revolves around a bunch of Krampus that are masquerading as mall Santas.
* Everette Bell wrote many poems about the folk figure in the book Krampusnacht.
* ''Don't Let the Fairies Eat You: Looking for the Witch'' had a short story about the Krampus called Krampus the Generous.
* ''Deep in the Forest: A Creepy Collection of Strange Tales for Children'' is another short story collection that had a Krampus story in it.
* ''The Claus Effect'' by David Nickel and Karl Schroeder, which makes Santa a sadistic monster and Krampus... better.

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[[folder: Live Action TV ]]

* On an episode of ''Series/TheColbertReport'', Stephen decides to join forces with Krampus to fight the eeeeeevil liberal secularists' War on Christmas. He offers Krampus some cookies and milk, which Krampus promptly whips with a rusty chain, then threatens to drag Stephen to Hell.
* On the old ''G4'' channel, there was an old ad for one of the shows featuring Krampus. [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0s6WNL80Hw Enjoy.]]
* On the season 4 Christmas special of ''TheLeague'', Taco tries to convince the owner of a mall to add a "Mall Krampus" to accompany the mall Santa. By the end of the episode, Taco gets extremely high, dresses up as the Krampus himself, and charges into the mall to attack the mall Santa an terrorize the children. Hilarity and GroinAttacks ensue.

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[[folder: Music ]]

* The back cover of the Sunset Rubdown album Random Spirit Lover has Krampus on it.
* [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EmqsEHl3P8 This.]]

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[[folder: Video Games ]]

* In ''VideoGame/CarnEvil'', Krampus acts as the boss of the Christmas stage, although here he's more [[BadSanta a demonic green Santa Claus combined with Rudolp the Red-Nosed Reindeer.]]
* The Krampus was added as a boss fight in ''VideoGame/TheBindingOfIsaac'' in the Christmas update. The Krampus will randomly appear in the Devil, room with the chances of him increasing the more you visit the room and even more if you actually take items. Defeating him unlocks the unique Lump of Coal item.
* The indie game ''VideoGame/DontStarve'' has the Krampus appear and steal the player's things if the player is naughty (defined here as "killing too many non-aggressive animals" like rabbits and beefalo).
* ''Medieval II: Total War'' has a mod that Krampus among Santa's unit.

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[[folder: Web Comics ]]

* In ''Webcomic/PvP'', Krampus becomes Scratch Fury's new Christmas persona in the 2011 Christmas arc. Scratch, Skull's pet cat and PVP's resident evil genius, was offered the job of Krampus by Santa Claus to help out with dealing with the huge increase in naughty children [[spoiler:, since he could no longer don his Kringus persona, considering his defeat the previous year]].
* In one of ''{{Rhapsodies}}''' annual Christmas episodes a band of Krampusi are part of the staff in the prison naughty children are taken, another year they are sent to take [[CloudCuckooLander Kevin]] away.
* In ''SomethingPositive'', Davan gives [=PeeJee=] the rundown on who Krampus is at one point.
* In the ''Webcomic/VocationalDeathCruise'''s main storyline, Krampus is [[[spoiler: Evil Santalestia]] as well as the secondary main villain

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[[folder: Web Original ]]

* He was even on ''Website/{{Cracked}}'' as an example of a creepy christmas tradition. [[http://www.cracked.com/article_18941_5-creepy-christmas-traditions-from-around-world_p2.html Link]].
* A RunningGag on the ''DragonBallAbridged'' ChristmasSpecial has various characters wondering if Jinga and Beru are the Krampus, and if he was just smashed.
* Krampus received his own episode on [[http://thatguywiththeglasses.com/videolinks/teamt/cr/ff/28993-episode-45-krampus CR's]] WebVideo/FamiliarFaces series. [[CouchGag Since CR always draws a title card featuring the respective character in a different style,]] [[Literature/HowTheGrinchStoleChristmas he made Krampus the Grinch's horned, European cousin.]]
* ''Website/CollegeHumor'' has a video of "Kovert Krampus", a BlackComedy version of SecretSanta exchanges.

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[[folder: Western Animation ]]

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheVentureBrothers'' Christmas Special, the Krampus is accidentally summoned by Hank and Dean and proceeds to punish Rusty Venture.
* The Krampus is featured in an episode of ''ScoobyDooMysteryIncorporated'', terrifying children and turning their hair white. [[spoiler:The Krampus was actually part of a ScoobyDooHoax set up by the gang themselves for a Gambit to steal the pieces of the MacGuffin from the show's main antagonists.]]
* The ''AmericanDad'' ChristmasEpisode for Season 8, "Minstrel Krampus", obviously involves him, but when the Sandy Hook Elementary School murders happened just days before it was set to air, [[TooSoon it was pulled]]. Presumably it will air in Season 9.

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