Krampus Parade In San Antonio Sparks Christmas Controversy Among Locals

This Christmas has been fairly quiet when it comes to holiday controversy in Texas. We haven't seen much about pastors protesting at Santa photo sessions. Mega churches in the Lone Star State haven't started their over-the-top Christmas programs yet, so no one is complaining about Cirque du Manger. What we do have though, is Krampus and some angry preachers.

Krampus Came To San Antonio And Brought Controversy

Recently, San Antonio had its very first Krampus parade. People seemed pretty excited and judging from videos that have surfaced online, it was a good time for most. There were plenty of people in attendance and plenty of participants in the parade.

Get our free mobile app

Of course, something like this wouldn't come without a bit of controversy. News outlets had no shortage of pastors screaming from the rooftops about the evil of Krampus. One even pointed out in an interview that Krampus is a demon that drags bad kids to hell. Pearls were firmly clutched.

Now, there's a survey for those who live in the neighborhood that will probably help determine if the event is allowed to happen for a second year. The survey is for King William (the historic neighborhood where the parade took place) residents only. I took a look at it and got some serious HOA vibes.

What Is Krampus And What Does Any Of This Have To Do With Christmas

Krampus is actually a very old part of the holiday season. You can trace its roots back to the Central and Eastern European Alpine cultures. Hop on YouTube and you'll find annual Krampus parades being held in Austria, Bavaria, Munich, and several other locations in Europe. For the most part, it seems like a tradition that people love despite the scary look of Krampus.

Krampus punishes the naughty kids this time of year. The thought is that it wasn't saintly for Saint Nicholas (Santa) to punish the kids, so Krampus is his cohort that handles the dirty work. Depending on who you ask Krampus does everything from giving children coal instead of gifts or swatting them with birch rods to taking the naughty children. Some even say he drags them to hell.

In most of the Krampus parades, which take place the night before the feast of St. Nicholas, you'll find Saint Nicholas himself as part of the festivities. He hands out gifts, usually candy, while Krampus engages in more mischievous behavior. It's fascinating that in some places you can't have one without the other. In the U.S., we just tend to focus on the guy who gives us stuff.

Do We Need More Krampus Parades In Texas?

There are already places in the Lone Star State that have their own Krampus-themed celebrations. For whatever reason, Krampus has become a full-blown celebrity in the U.S. in recent years. He's even featured in Red One, the new Christmas movie on Amazon Prime, and he isn't that bad of a guy in it.

It would be interesting to see these parades and celebrations in the U.S. stick close to the traditions that come from Europe. It would be sad if this simply turned into a light beer version of a Halloween parade. We'll have to wait and see what the fate of San Antonio's Krampus parade is. Fingers crossed everyone is happy in the end.