Over two billion people worldwide celebrate Christmas, each infusing the holiday with various customs and rituals. Austria, in particular, has Krampus, a creature that contrasts sharply with the ...

Austro-German folklore has a Christmas villain that may be scarier than Krampus. The villain is a beaked demon-woman who disembowels her victims. Frau Perchta, the "Belly Slitter," sneaks into homes ...

As clanging chains and pounding metal drums fill the snow-covered streets of Austria, the whispers spread among children, “Watch out, Krampus is about.” Naughty children in the U.S. may dread a lump ...

St. Nick brings the gifts, and Krampus brings the pain. Here are some things you might not have known about Santa'’s demonic companion. Who is Krampus? In Austria and across the German-speaking Alpine ...

A horned beast marches through an Austrian street as crowds gather to celebrate Krampusnacht. The Krampus is the evil counterpart to Santa Claus, who visits the girls on Saint Nick’s naughty list.

With traditional masked processions, this ominous ‘half-goat, half-demon’ creature visits naughty children in central Europe at Christmas. AP As clanging chains and pounding metal drums fill the ...

Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Someone dressed as "Perchten," or followers of Perchta, at the annual annual "Rauhnacht" gathering in Waldkirchen, Germany in 2017 ...