BY TRISTA EDWARDS
Krampus season is upon us. The devilish foil to the jolly St. Nick, Krampus is a horned half-goat, half-demon anthropomorphic figure that haunts and punishes all the bad children during Christmas. According to lore, Krampus appears on December 5th, Krampus Night or Krampusnacht, to snatch up all the naughty children and shoves them into its sack to cart off them off to Hell.
Fun, right? I dig it.
Even though Krampus Night has come and gone, that doesn't mean we have to give up the horned one just yet. Call me strange, but there's just something about this beastly Yuletide creature that gives me the cozy cabin feels.
I picture Krampus lurking through a snowy woods seeking out the glowing light of a cottage. Smoke billows from the chimney stack and a single candle rests in the window. I just want to snuggle up under a mound of blankets and sip cocoa while eagerly awaiting the heavy plod of hooves stamp across the porch. But then, I'm an eternal goth kid at heart and I would find elements of hygge in a Christmas demon who is coming to drag me off to Hell.
So if you are feeling a little burnt out on the cult of Christmas cheer and desire to dip into the dark side of the season or if you just a Krampus fan, here are some artists and makers who crafted up some delightfully devilish depictions of everybody's favorite child-stealing Christmas demon.
#treatyonaughtyself to some Krampus goodies.
Brett Manning is an artist and maker...and bunny caretaker. Manning's art is whimsical and dark. This baby Krampus is frighteningly cute as a button. (A personal fave artist of mine. I bought a Danni & Binx, Hocus Pocus-inspired print this past October. It is staying up all year around, of course.)
S & M Press is run by two queer punk artists (Shaun & Mike...S & M! Get it!?) who do letterpress printing in small, unventilated spaces. This gorgeous gold detailed letterpress Krampus card is an excellent way to sent some love this season.
Gemma Correll is a self-described infamous anti-socialite and pug lady. Her Menstrual Krampus illustration hits home for many period havin' folk out there.
Based in Vancouver, Washington, Daisy & Aster make coffee mugs, wood-burnings, enamel pins, ramen bowls, shirts, and more! This Krampus mug is also a perfect representation of that pre-coffee mood dare anyone speak to you before that first drop of caffeine.
The Bower Studio, a herbal apothecary and gift shop in Pelham, Massachusetts, has several fantastic enamel pins for your growing collection. Display your inner holiday grump with this beastly accessory.
Ashley Hoey, an artist and printmaker from Charleston, West Virginia, mainly focuses on "depictions of fragile and seductively melancholy women exploring the parallels of ecstasy and sorrow." Hoey does have this charming linocut Krampus print available on Etsy, a beautiful, minimalist representation this traditional holiday monster.
Killin' Me Softly Co. features spooky custom made items designed in Portland, Oregon. They stitch up the cutest pillows, from palmistry hands to headstones to this spooky Gruss vom Krampus cozy.
Natalie Bojórquez is the owner and artist behind Bee is for Bear, an online shop for handmade greeting cards and more! Stand out from the slush pile of holiday greetings with this set of bright Krampus cards.
Angela Rizza is an illustrator from Mahopac, New York. Rizza's shop features prints, pins, zines that are Game of Thrones, Harry Potter, and Tolkien inspired alongside original concepts like this woodsy print.
Oakland, California artist Abby Rocha has a hypnotically beautiful Esty store, Chica Artista Shop, that features fine art prints and original work. This ink, watercolor, and digital print would snazz up any wall in you home this season.
Trista Edwards is a contributing editor and senior writer at Luna Luna Magazine. She is also the curator and editor of the anthology, Till The Tide: An Anthology of Mermaid Poetry (Sundress Publications, 2015). She is currently working on her first full-length poetry collection but until then you can read her poems at 32 Poems, Quail Bell Magazine, Moonchild Magazine, The Adroit Journal, The Boiler, Queen Mob's Tea House, Bad Pony, Occulum, and more. She creates magickal candles at her company, Marvel + Moon.