3. Krampus Night in Austria
Long before Krampus became a pop culture icon, Alpine communities marked December 5th—Krampusnacht—by dressing as horned, fearsome beasts who punished naughty children. This dark counterpart to St. Nicholas originated in Austria and Southern Germany, and has even seen costumed groups cause minor havoc in town squares. Krampus runs are lively today, but in the past they could get downright terrifying (history.com).
