Santa’s “Evil Twin”

By Rafael Corral-Cumplido and The Rambler staff

Illustration of Ramsey as Krampus by Ryan Verdusco

Winter is notoriously known for the many traditions and holidays that inspire a variety of creative decorations.

From painting personalized dreidels for Hanukkah to innovative “Elf on the Shelf” scenarios, many of us have associated this season with specific characters and stories.

Jordan Smith, South Gate High’s history teacher, grew up believing in Santa Claus, and his family had their own special tradition.

Smith stated, “The night before Christmas, we would leave out reindeer food, which was just oatmeal and sprinkles in a bowl.”

At night, his parents would scatter the reindeer food around the lawn.

Smith added, “I’d wake up Christmas morning, and when we’d come out, we’d say, ‘Oh my gosh, the reindeer were here! They ate the reindeer food!’”

While sweet traditions like Smith’s are very common, there are also plenty of “darker” or more sinister festivities celebrated around the world.

Many of these darker events revolve around Krampus, often referred to as the “anti-Santa.”

Santa visits the homes of “good” children and brings presents, whereas Krampus travels to the homes of “bad” children to deliver the gift of discipline. Krampus’s punishments can range from hitting children with a stick to taking them away in chains.

The University of Central Florida stated, “St. Nicholas arrives with a sack full of toys; Krampus arrives with an empty sack to stuff with children.”

Krampus, a pagan figure that has become incorporated into many Christmas traditions, is growing in popularity.

Karimen Rabago, a freshman at South Gate High, has seen videos about Krampus on TikTok that share a similar story.

Rabago said, “He goes to the kids’ houses, and if they’re awake, he takes them.”

Moreover, there are a variety of events that portray the tale of Krampus and celebrate his purpose.

One of the most well-known events occurs on December 5, the night before St. Nicholas Day. It is called Krampusnacht, or Krampus Night.

This event includes the Krampuslauf, a parade composed of people dressed in elaborate Krampus costumes—horns, fur, chains, and more. The parade is extremely interactive, as spectators are chased through snow-covered streets and “punished.”

In addition, many new movies and games now focus on Krampus. For example, the video game Rec Room features a Christmas-themed experience in which players must hide from Krampus.

As Krampus’s popularity continues to grow, it begs the question: why are people becoming more attracted to darker holiday celebrations?