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Krampus: The Complete Guide to the Christmas Devil of Alpine Folklore

Mythical Creatures Mythology

Krampus: The Complete Guide to the Christmas Devil of Alpine Folklore

The Horned Companion of Saint Nicholas

The complete guide to Krampus: the horned, chain-rattling Christmas devil of Alpine folklore who punishes the wicked beside Saint Nicholas, his likely pagan roots, and his modern revival.

150 pagesPDFEnglishMythologis Library

$14.99

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Inside this book

What you will read

  • 11 chapters, primary sources
  • Instant PDF download
  • Original ink illustrations
  • Alpine and Germanic folklore
  • Designed for print quality
See all chapters  +
  1. 01The Devil Beside the Saint
  2. 02Saint Nicholas and His Dark Companions
  3. 03What Krampus Looks Like and Why
  4. 04Krampusnacht: The Night of the Fifth of December
  5. 05The Perchten and the Wild Winter of the Alps
  6. 06Older Than Christmas? The Pagan Roots
  7. 07The Church and the Horned Companion
  8. 08The Krampus Postcards
  9. 09Knecht Ruprecht, Black Peter and the Wider Family
  10. 10The Suppression and Survival of Krampus
  11. 11The Modern Revival of the Christmas Devil

About this book

About this Mythical Creatures mythology guide

For every gift-giving saint there is a punishing devil. This is the complete guide to Krampus, the horned companion of Saint Nicholas who comes for the wicked on the night of December the fifth.

For every gift-giving saint there is, in the old Alpine tradition, a punishing devil at his side. While Saint Nicholas rewards the good children on the eve of his feast, Krampus comes for the bad ones: a towering, horned, goat-legged creature with a lolling red tongue and a basket on his back, rattling chains and switching the wicked with a bundle of birch. On the night of the fifth of December, in the mountain valleys of Austria and Bavaria, young men still dress as him and run roaring through the streets.

This is the complete guide to Krampus. His role as the dark companion of Saint Nicholas; the Krampusnacht and the wild Perchten runs of the Alpine winter; his likely roots in older pre-Christian midwinter figures; the way the Church tried, and failed, to suppress him; the Krampus postcards that spread his image across Europe; and his surprising modern revival far beyond the mountains.

The book follows Krampus from Alpine folk custom to global phenomenon, drawing on the folklore record and the history of the tradition, and every chapter cites where it comes from.

Delivered as a print-quality PDF within 24 hours of purchase.

What you will discover inside

  • Why Saint Nicholas travels with a horned, chain-rattling devil
  • Krampusnacht and the running of the Krampus in the Alps
  • The Perchten and the wild figures of the Alpine midwinter
  • The likely pre-Christian roots of the Krampus figure
  • The Krampus postcards that spread his image across Europe
  • How a local folk devil became a global phenomenon

Mythical Creatures mythology book at a glance

TraditionMythical Creatures mythology
Chapters11 chapters
Length150 pages
SourcesDrawn from the primary sources, cited inline
Reading levelBeginner-friendly. Every name and place is explained from scratch
FormatPrint-quality PDF
DeliveryPDF within 24 hours

Formats and editions

EditionWhat you getPrice
Instant PDFPrint-quality download, readable on any device. PDF within 24 hours.$7.99
PaperbackA paperback edition is on the way. Sign up on this page to hear when it lands on Amazon.Coming soon

About the author

Guillaume Henry, founder of Mythologis

Guillaume Henry

Founder & Editor-in-Chief, Mythologis

Guillaume Henry founded Mythologis to make the world's mythologies readable without losing what makes them strange. Every Mythologis book draws on the primary sources first, cross-references multiple translations, and avoids inventing details that aren't in the originals.

More about the author

Questions about the Mythical Creatures mythology book

When will I receive my PDF?

Within 24 hours of purchase. Your download link arrives in your inbox automatically.

Is Krampus a pagan or a Christian figure?

Both, and the book untangles the two. Krampus appears in a Christian setting as the companion of Saint Nicholas, but many of his features point to older Alpine midwinter customs, and the book lays out the evidence on each side without overclaiming.

Is this book based on primary sources?

Yes. It draws on the folklore record of the Alpine regions, the history of the Saint Nicholas tradition and its companions, and the documentary evidence of the Krampus postcards and processions, with references to the standard sources.

How long is the book?

Eleven chapters, around 150 pages depending on the final layout.

Will there be a paperback on Amazon?

The PDF is available immediately. A KDP paperback edition follows once the book has been validated by readers.

What formats is this book available in?

Every title is available as an instant PDF, downloaded the moment you buy it: the link appears on the confirmation page and lands in your inbox. Selected titles also have a paperback edition on Amazon. Where the paperback is not out yet, you can sign up to be notified the day it does.

What is the return policy?

The PDF is delivered instantly by Mythologis. If a download ever fails or a file looks wrong, get in touch and we will make it right. Paperbacks bought on Amazon are handled under Amazon's own returns and refund policy.

Can I order from outside the United States?

Yes. The PDF is a digital download, so it works instantly anywhere in the world, with nothing to ship. Where a paperback edition exists, it is sold across Amazon's international marketplaces, with shipping rates and delivery times depending on your country.

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