THE KRAMPUS AND THE OLD, DARK CHRISTMAS

From elements of medieval witchcraft reworked in 18th-century folk Catholicism, the Krampus has risen to embody a new countercultural holiday.

Once the mythic bogeyman of European Catholic childhoods and long presented as the opposite of Santa Claus, Krampus is a growing presence in our culture. With the appearance of the demonic Christmas character Krampus in contemporary Hollywood movies, television shows, advertisements, and greeting cards, medieval folklore Krampus-related events and parades in Europe and North America, Krampus is a growing phenomenon.

Though the Krampus figure is now familiar, not much can be found about its history and meaning. Enter Al Ridenour, who investigates the symbolic figure in detail in The Krampus and the Old, Dark Christmas, searching for its origins, transformation over time, and exploring its permutations in various local traditions. He also makes important observations about the psychological function of ancient traditions and their continuing importance for us today. With Krampus's wild, graphic history, Feral House hired the awarded designer Sean Tejaratchi to take on Ridenour's book about this ever-so-curious figure.

Al Ridenourhas lectured on Krampus at the Goethe Institutes in Los Angeles. He writes for Los Angeles Times, LA Weekly, Fortean Times, Maxim, Stuff, Saveur, and other periodicals as well as the websites Boing Boing, Laughing Squid, Atlas Obscura, and Morbid Anatomy. He is author of Offbeat Food, Adventures in an Omnivorous World (Santa Monica Press 2000).
Sean Tejaratchi is the award-winning graphic designer who created this highly and beautifully illustrated volume.