Merry Krampus! A Tribute To The “Christmas Devil”
on
Tattoo Ideas
Some will say that Christmas is over, but before we wave goodbye to 2015 and welcome 2016 in just a few short hours…
…we can still talk about everyone’s favorite Yuletide mascot- Krampus. Yeah, I said it. Good ‘ol St. Nick takes the backseat to Krampus in my book, because let’s face it: The “Christmas Devil” is WAY more interesting, completely badass, and if we’re being real here- just straight up terrifying.
The legend of Krampus came into being as a warning for naughty children- much like our Western tale of Santa replacing gifts with coal for those whose behavior was less than perfect. However, instead of a lousy lump of coal, German folklore states that Krampus- a pagan monster sporting horns and a beard, lashing a chain and bells- wanders the streets at night, seeking out the children who have been bad that year. Upon finding them, he swats the children with a bundle of birch sticks, and then ultimately drags them back to the underworld with him. Call me crazy- but this story seems like a much more effective way to coax (or traumatize) children into being good all year; I feel like they might prefer coal over you know, getting beaten and dragged to hell. But, to each his own.
Ilja Hummel
That being said- this terrifying half-goat, half-demon beast has transcended folklore and become a prominent figure in pop-culture, ultimately making it’s way into the modern art world- specifically in terms of tattooing. People love the scary, strange and unusual, and artists love to depict it- so whether it’s making a horror film, simply passing down the cautionary tale to your loved ones over some hot chocolate, or taking it a bit further and immortalizing the legend in ink- it’s safe to say, the story of Krampus is here to stay, and scarier than ever.
So, in the spirit of the season, take a second to look at how some of our favorite artists have chosen to render “The Christmas Devil,” and remember: Be good… Krampus is watc
Nick Friederich
Details..
Afredo Guarracino
An illustration by Lozzy Bones
Suzy Todd
…we can still talk about everyone’s favorite Yuletide mascot- Krampus. Yeah, I said it. Good ‘ol St. Nick takes the backseat to Krampus in my book, because let’s face it: The “Christmas Devil” is WAY more interesting, completely badass, and if we’re being real here- just straight up terrifying.
The legend of Krampus came into being as a warning for naughty children- much like our Western tale of Santa replacing gifts with coal for those whose behavior was less than perfect. However, instead of a lousy lump of coal, German folklore states that Krampus- a pagan monster sporting horns and a beard, lashing a chain and bells- wanders the streets at night, seeking out the children who have been bad that year. Upon finding them, he swats the children with a bundle of birch sticks, and then ultimately drags them back to the underworld with him. Call me crazy- but this story seems like a much more effective way to coax (or traumatize) children into being good all year; I feel like they might prefer coal over you know, getting beaten and dragged to hell. But, to each his own.
Ilja Hummel
That being said- this terrifying half-goat, half-demon beast has transcended folklore and become a prominent figure in pop-culture, ultimately making it’s way into the modern art world- specifically in terms of tattooing. People love the scary, strange and unusual, and artists love to depict it- so whether it’s making a horror film, simply passing down the cautionary tale to your loved ones over some hot chocolate, or taking it a bit further and immortalizing the legend in ink- it’s safe to say, the story of Krampus is here to stay, and scarier than ever.
So, in the spirit of the season, take a second to look at how some of our favorite artists have chosen to render “The Christmas Devil,” and remember: Be good… Krampus is watc
Nick Friederich
Details..
Afredo Guarracino
An illustration by Lozzy Bones
Suzy Todd
Subscribe to this blog
Subscribe to email newsletter for latest Tattoo Artist, Tattoo Idea, Celebrities Tattoo
