'Krampus: Origins of the Yuletide Monster' by PBS Storied plus Krampus on 'SNL' for Yule 2025

Happy Yule/Winter Solstice, when I blog about Christmas monsters! Today's monster is the OG Christmas monster, Krampus, who I mentioned in Monstrum on 'Mari Lwyd: The Skeleton Horse's Deep Past with Christmas Tradition' for Winter Solstice/Yule.

I enjoyed Dr. Z connecting this monster to both the Winter Solstice and to other European Christmas monsters, including Krampus, who has a video of his own. I'm an environmentalist, so I don't just recycle, I conserve my resources. I'm saving that episode of Monstrum for a future Yule.

This is that future Yule. Watch Dr. Emily Zarka recount Krampus: Origins of the Yuletide Monster | Monstrum on PBS Storied.

You better watch out, you better not cry, and you certainly must behave—or else face the brutal beating of the Krampus. Why does this demonic, horned Yuletide monster exist? This episode looks at the historical origins of Krampus in the winter festivals of the Alpine region, challenging the false claim that this monster came from pagan tradition, and traces its renewed popularity across the globe.

Dr. Z included the movie Krampus as a sign and reason for the monster's popularity, which I mentioned in 2016 Saturn Awards for Movies, part 1: Films. It was a properly scary horror flick that lost to Crimson Peak. I also observed "I'm glad SNL is featuring Bowen Yang's costumed impressions, like Krampus," in 'SNL' shoots down the Chinese 'spy balloon' in its cold open and Weekend Update. At the risk of depleting my resources, I'm sharing Weekend Update: Krampus on Kidnapping Naughty Children - SNL.

Krampus (Bowen Yang) stops by Weekend Update to discuss his job kidnapping and punishing bad children for Christmas.

Yang and Colin Yost handled the costume malfunction well, which just added to the bit.

I close with two short videos featuring Krampus, beginning with Roya Venturera describing how countries punish bad kids during Christmas.


 The French enjoyed Krampus just a little too much. I'll stick to coal, which I never gave to my children. They were good kids.

National Day Calendar celebrated KRAMPUSNACHT - December 5 earlier this month.

On December 5th, adults celebrating Krampusnacht seek to punish misbehaving children. This not-so-jolly holiday is also referred to as Krampus Night.

Most people associate the holiday season with lots of cheer, merriment, and joy. However, there is one traditional holiday during this time of the year that doesn’t sound so fun. In fact, it seems a little scary. It’s actually more Halloween-like than Christmassy.

That's a wrap for today's solstice celebration. Stay tuned as I continue going full holiday until at least Friday, beginning with a follow-up to WMUR covers the Spartans in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade for a drum corps Christmas.