He comes on the eve of St. Nicholas Day, Krampusnacht, in most legends a half-goat, half-demon, with cloven hooves and monstrous tongue, in some simply a hairy albeit malevolent man. The Krampus is known from Germany to Bosnia by many names and even in Pennsylvania, where the Pennsylvania Deutsch brought with them a slightly less menacing version called The Belsnickel. In most lore he is sent to punish those whose wicked deeds throughout the year have disqualified them from the rewards of St. Nicholas to the tune of whipping with his birch stick bundle, or The Rute. No one knows the origin of Krampus and the internet is awash with false or misleading information, and the earliest mention of Krampus is only from the 17th century. Some say it's a pagan tradition held over from Europes days before Christ and that Krampus may be the son of Hel, while others insist it is a wholly Christian invention meant to juxtapose St. Nicholas. Even the etymology of the name Krampus is up for debate, with academics split between the old Germanic word for claw or possibly an older alpine regional word for rotten. Regardless of the origin, the Krampus lives on today in many traditions from the Perchtenlauf to Krampuslauf. Gruss vom Krampus!