Before there was Santa Claus there was Krampus, St. Nick’s pre-Christian, hirsute and horned counterpart.
Krampus scampered through wintry Alpine villages across Central Europe. His goal? To coax children out of naughtiness by instilling fear, loathing and, in severe cases, punishment. Those kids, so goes the lore, were whisked away by basket.
In Portland, the Krampus tradition has been going strong, albeit less forbidding, since 2010, when the annual Krampus Lauf, or parade, takes place each December.
Before the start of the parade, various Krampuses and other winter spirits gathered in Sewallcrest Park in Southeast Portland. There, as the sun began to set, a group of witches from the Rose City Dancing Witches frolicked around a cauldron and sang songs. At dusk, the parade coalesced and headed over to Hawthorne Boulevard, where it entertained passersby for several blocks.
Local fans of all things Krampus can check out the Krampus Holiday Haunted House, December 12-14 at The Fear PDX, 12219 NE Glisan Street, Portland; a Krampusnaght at Beer Store Milwaukie, December 6, at 6:00 p.m. that offers music and free photos with Krampus and Santa Claus; and a Krampus Market, December 7th at Black Cat Frozen Custard in Portland.
For other holiday offerings, check out our guide to the best holiday traditions to look forward to.
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