St. Nicholas parade and the Krampus

On the evening of December 5th, South Tirol celebrates the traditional St. Nicholas parade. The float with the white-bearded Saint, who gives fruits and sweets to the children, is followed by unsettling half-man, half-goat creatures. They’re the “Krampuses” looking for “bad children” and some bad grown-ups too to punish them.
 
This celebration’s origins are very old, probably a pre-Christian heathen tradition to celebrate the winter solstice. It is practiced in many places of the region, but especially in Merano, where the patron saint is St. Nicholas.

Foto 1-4: ©Archive Rete delle Guide