With a love of the Ladybird fairy tales series, and the stories told to her about the trees and rocks of the forests, Dee Dee's interest in folklore began at an early age. In recent years, concerns have been raised that refugees who have fled to Austria – including children – might find the parade frightening, as many of us would! Instead of banning the parade, the town of Lienz for the children, to help them understand the origins of the tradition and encourage them get involved in the celebrations.Whether you love or hate Krampus, it seems he is here to stay, and possibly coming to a town near you very, very soon Check out these Krampus Christmas gifts!Recommended books from #FolkloreThursday. Today, the festivities are still considered something to be handled carefully. During World War II, Krampus was seen by fascists as a thing of the Social Democrats.

The church tried to ban Krampusnacht as far back as the 12th century. Read more about this from Al himself in his #FolkloreThursday article, ‘‘.LA is offering its own antidote to Christmas: Krampuslauf LA (This one is from 2013)The tradition has a history of controversy.

Krampus, a horror film bearing the beast’s name, even hit the box-offices last year, although many would argue that it bears little resemblance to the folkloric tradition.Author Al Ridenour has led the Krampus-resurgence in LA, starting a Krampus carnival in the city, running mask making workshops, and recently releasing a new book, The Krampus and the Old, Dark Christmas: Roots and Rebirth of the Folkloric Devil.

In contrast, Krampus carries a birch bundle to beat naughty children before stuffing them into his basket and carrying them off – some say to his lair to be eaten, while others say to the underworld.Here’s a selection of some of the best Krampuslauf videos from around Europe Rennweg 2016 – Rudi FeistritzerGraz 2013 (Austria)Osstirol 2015 (Tyrol, Austria)St.Ulrich 2014 (South Tyrol, Italy)Munich 2014 Krampus-feverKrampus has gained popularity in recent years, with the tradition spreading as far as the US.

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