Christmas horrors.

• Author: Walker, Jesse
• Position: The Krampus and the Old, Dark Christmas - Briefly Noted - Brief article - Book review

Over the last decade or so, American pop culture has discovered the Krampus: a demonic Austrian counterpart to St. Nicholas who threatens kids with cruel punishments while the saint promises them rewards. In The Krampus and the Old, Dark Christmas (Feral House), Al Ridenour explores the Old World's spooky, raucous Krampus festivities, with side trips that cover Yuletide witches, Yuletide werewolves, and othersignsof"a deep-rooted European understanding of Christmas as a time of supernatural mayhem."

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

In theory, Ridenourwrites, the Krampus today is "an enforcer of social norms," punishing...