Krampusnacht: Twelve Nights of Krampus

by Kate Wolford, Cheresse Burke, Guy Burtenshaw

For bad children, a lump of coal from Santa is positively light punishment when Krampus is ready and waiting to beat them with a stick, wrap them in chains, and drag them down to hell—all with St. Nick's encouragement and approval.

Krampusnacht holds within its pages twelve tales of Krampus triumphant, usurped, befriended, and much more. From evil children (and adults) who get their due, to those who pull one over on the ancient "Christmas Devil." From historic Europe, to the North Pole, to present day American suburbia, these all new stories embark on a revitalization of the Krampus tradition.

Whether you choose to read Krampusnacht over twelve dark and scary nights or devour it in one nacht of joy and terror, these stories are sure to add chills and magic to any winter's reading.

Genres: Horror, Short Stories, Fantasy, Christmas, Fiction, Anthologies, Holiday

205 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 11, 2014

About the author

Kate Wolford is editor and publisher of Enchanted Conversation: A Fairy Tale Magazine at fairytalemagazine.com. She teaches first-year college writing, incorporating fairy tales in her assignments whenever possible.

Reviews

[Melki · Rating 3 out of 5]

soundtrack - Krampusnacht by Unto Ashes - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOVGQ...

This is a hit or miss collection of stories celebrating everyone's favorite Yuletide demon.



NO! Not him. This guy -



Krampus, the hoofed, horned creature that comes at Christmas to punish the bad kiddies with switches, sometimes even hauling them away in his sack to be burned or eaten later when he runs out of fruit-flavored cereal .

Most of the writers here have stuck with the legend, having Krampus threaten the wicked - children AND adults. He is frequently portrayed as an avenging angel, almost a savior in one case. In Guy Burtenshaw's Between the Eyes, Krampus is an evil trickster, toying with, and preying on the undeserving. He is outwitted by a naughty child in Jeff Provine's Nothing to Dread, and serves as a fearsome lover to an adult woman in Caren Gussoff's Ring, Little Bell, Ring.

The best of the tales managed to conjure some lovely fairy tale magic; the worst were simply forgettable.



And to all a good night!

[exorcismemily · Rating 3 out of 5]

"For if truth and beauty and love of life must be labeled wickedness, then heaven loves a wicked child." - Elise Fourier Edie

I randomly came across this book in a used bookstore & I was so happy to find it! Krampusnacht is an anthology of twelve short stories about Krampus edited by Kate Wolford. Although I didn't love everything in here, I would say that the book is worth reading for the ones I did love. I rated nine of the stories 3-5⭐, so that's pretty good.

I was pleasantly surprised by the variety in this anthology since all the stories are focused on Krampus. I was concerned about the stories being too similar, but the editor did a fantastic job of choosing different types of stories.

My top 3 stories in this collection were Prodigious by Elizabeth Twist, The Wicked Child by Elise Fourier Edie, and Santa Claus and the Little Girl Who Loved to Sing and Dance by Patrick Evans. I had not read these authors before, and I fell in love with their stories. I would really like to read more from them. Actually, I don't think I had read any of the authors from this anthology before, so it was pretty cool to be introduced to so many new ones. I believe there are more women writers than men in this anthology, which you don't always see. That made me happy.

Some of the stories like Santa Claus and the Little Girl Who Loved to Sing and Dance by Patrick Evans were pretty amusing, and I liked having a bit of horror comedy mixed in. Many of the other stories were too slow for my taste, or just didn't really capture my interest, but I think the ones I love balanced out the anthology. This is a book I would read again.

[megHan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A couple of years ago, shortly before my nieces' 5th Christmas, the Houston Chronicle posted an article about the way other countries celebrate Christmas, the way they see Santa Claus, and other ... creatures ... that come around during the winter time. We shared this article with the and they were intrigued, wanting to know more about the people we were reading about, asking us to help them look up pictures on the computer so they could see what they looked like. One of them was Krampus. Ever since then, I have been obsessed. There is just SOMETHING about this guy that has me enthralled. He's intriguing and scary. (And, I must add, my nieces, who had been acting up, like all young ones do, were REALLY good after finding out more about him. Well, him and the mother that sends her three sons out on Christmas Eve to pick up the really bad kids so she could eat them for dinner.)

When I received an email from the publishing company telling me about their latest releases - and saw THIS - I did something I never do. I contacted them, asking if I could spotlight this book on my blog. Elizabeth Wagner, the publicity manager at World Weaver Press, emailed me back saying that she would love for me to do this and sent me all kinds of information to use. She also offered me a copy of this book.

I am SO glad that I contacted this publisher - and that I accepted their offer of an r2r. I LOVED this book. It starts out with a really great Introduction that offered some history on Krampus, with some snark and sarcasm mixed in. Each story was different and well written. I loved reading the way each author depicted him, some as you would expect and some not. Not only did I really enjoy the stories in this book, but I plan on reading more from each author. This is definitely a book I recommend, especially to people who are as interested in Krampus as I am.

Note: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

An delightfully weird grouping of tales for the holiday season. Some were hit, some miss; but overall I enjoyed this anthology. All the tales were new tellings of a very old European myth - you better be good, or Krampus comes visiting!

Gruss vom Krampus! And Happy Reading! :D

[Tyler Gray · Rating 3 out of 5]

As typical with anthologies, some hits, some misses.

1st night of Krampus "Prodigious" - 5 stars

2nd night of Krampus "The Wicked Child" - 5 stars (Favorite!)

3rd night of Krampus "Marching Krampus" - 3.25 stars

4th night of Krampus "Peppermint Sticks" - 1 star, didn't get it

5th night of Krampus "Ring, Little Bell, Ring" - 1.5 stars, also didn't get it but was kinda catchy

6th night of Krampus "A Visit" - 4 stars

7th night of Krampus "Santa Claus and the little girl who loved to sing and dance" - 1 star, made me so angry i'd seriously consider giving the 4th and 5th one higher ratings just because I just didn't get them but this one actually made me angry! Ableism, Fat-phobia, TW: Eating Disorders (and no respect), R-Word, the little girl making me think of a female Dudley, but worse and going so far as to threaten Santa and say he r*ped her when he never touched her or anything just because he wouldn't break another girls ankles (she wanted a part in some commercial or something) and I seriously don't think that is something this world needs right now with the way r*pe culture is.

8th night of Krampus "Between the eyes" - 3.5 stars

9th night of Krampus "Nothing to Dread" - 1 star, I originally rated this 3.75 as it gave me some food for thought and taught me some things I didn't know because I don't know my history very well because the American school system sucks. However upon looking at other reviews the fact that one of the kids name is Jakob makes it incredibly racist against Jewish people. I had no idea it was a Jewish name. It's *possible* the name was an accident but given it's so clearly about the holocaust, if it wasn't on purpose than it was at least careless as care should have been taken to not give that kid, that ended up ruining the future (now past), a Jewish name. My average rating below has been changed though it still ends up being a 3 over-all.

10th night of Krampus "Raw Recruits" - 4 stars

11th night of Krampus "The God Killer" - 4.25 stars

12th night of Krampus "A Krampus Carol" - 5 stars (A close second favorite!)

Averaging out to 3.20 stars, so a 3. I enjoyed most of the stories and loved a few of them! I am glad to have read some of them and wish I could wash my brain of a couple of them.

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[Jen Lamoureux · Rating 1 out of 5]

Did the editors actually bother to read this when they were compiling it?

I read the first story and cringed a couple of times at E.L. James-esque metaphors. But I decided having a little literary kitsch in my life wasn't a wholly terrible thing. I kept going.

I read through more stories. Some were hit or miss. Most fall victim to the problem common to short stories--no clear resolution. That's just part of the genre, and some were worse than others about it. Short stories are generally designed to leave the reader thinking about the story, and that's certainly an effective way of accomplishing that. Some were better than others. I particularly enjoyed the Twelfth Night, "A Krampus Carol" by Scott Farrell.

But it was the Ninth Night of Krampus: "Nothing to Dread" by Jeff Provine that really caught my attention. I was left wondering at the end whether the people compiling this book had bothered to read the selections. What we have here is basically a morality tale insinuating that a little boy with a VERY traditionally Jewish name is to blame for the Holocaust.

**Spoilers follow**

The tale is set in Leonding, Austria. You know, the childhood home of a young boy named Adolf Hitler. But it's *also* the childhood home of a little boy named Jakob. Let's just take a moment to recognize that out of the litany of names the author could have chosen, he has gone with Jakob, a name belonging to a prominent patriarch of Jewish tradition. Clever, wicked little Jakob has planned ahead for his visit from Krampus this year. He manages to subdue Krampus and extract a deal from him never to come to his town again. And of course, without Krampus to punish the wicked children in Leonding, we all know what "Adolf who refused to study" grew up to be, don't we? Now, I can grant that the remainder of the description about the boy seems designed to paint him as a little Christian boy. I'm willing to accept that perhaps the choice of name was accidental.

However, I also believe that this author, considering the insinuation of his story, had a duty to write it very carefully. Writing morality fiction about the Holocaust is just generally not a good idea. Taking a tragedy ending with millions of lives lost and turning it into "if only this fictional arbiter of good and evil had been free to do his job, it might not have happened" is callous and irresponsible. Then failing to at least *avoid* also selecting a name belonging to one of the groups most targeted by said genocide and atrocity is just too much. Provine, as a college professor, should know better than to so carelessly reference historical atrocity.

[Elentarri · Rating 2 out of 5]

Twelve lackluster and (mostly) unforgettable stories about Krampus, Santa's demonic "helper".  The story concepts were ultimately more interesting than the actually story writing.  I found none of the stories particularly terrifying either. Disappointing.

[Rhonda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Krampusnacht cuts through the cloying sweetness of typical Christmas stories to reveal their dark chewy centre. Twelve stories with twelve takes on Santa's less savoury companion, this collection is sure to become a new holiday tradition.

[La La · Rating 3 out of 5]

As with most anthologies there was the good, the bad, and the ugly; but the mix came out to a nice solid three stars. Krampus can be a throughly misunderstood guy. One of the negatives is the ebook price. $2.99 would be a fairer amount. I am happy I found it on sale for $1.99.

[Kristina Wojtaszek · Rating 4 out of 5]

Twelve enthralling tales that turn the lights out on Christmas, and dance with folklore in the dark.

[Melissa Joulwan · Rating 5 out of 5]

You better watch out; you just might cry. Krampus is coming to town. Half-goat, half-demon, with scruffy dark hair, fangs, curled horns, and an uncomfortably long tongue, Krampus is armed with chains and a bundle of birch sticks, all the better to lash out at naughty children before dragging them down to the underworld.

The name comes from the German word krampen, meaning claws, and Krampus is the antihero of Christmas in Central European folklore. In this story collection, the furry monster inspires tales with ironic twists, affecting family dynamics, dire consequences, and offbeat Christmas spirit.

Elizabeth Twist’s story ‘Prodigious’ was inspired by a collection of vintage Krampus postcards. It’s the tale of an unusual toy story and a beleaguered employee forced to wear a stinky Krampus costume at the company Christmas party. Darkly funny with a diabolical twist at the end.

‘The Wicked Child’ by Elise Forier Edie is a fairy tale about a good girl everyone agrees is wicked. The Dickensian story ‘A Visit’ by Lissa Sloan compels us to consider the question Who is truly wicked? Other stories feature a town with a Christmas amusement park, an extraordinary doll, a Santa who desperately needs therapy, and a retired cop who faces his dark past with a little help from Krampus.

Editor Kate Wolford has really good taste, and this anthology is wildly entertaining. There are 12 tales in the collection, so if you begin on 13 December, you could read one every day and finish on Christmas, preferably by candlelight while nibbling on homemade shortbread or Russian Teacakes. Or stay up way too late in one glorious nacht of thrills, chills, and jingle bells.

[Gofita · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not all stories were created equal but I enjoyed enough of them that a few stand out.

My favorite was the story of Krampus going to local pubs on Christmas Eve and finding the most down-on-their-luck souls he could find and giving them the choice to either die tonight by a bullet or to have one year and die by fire. What does one do when given only a year to live? It was a great horror short story. Loved it.

Another great one was where a human who can see all the demons demi-gods unleashes her vengeance on Krampus after she catches him stealing children. The gods hold a trial and she defends herself. It's just awesome.

There's a second book. I'll probably pick it up next Christmas.

[Ira Therebel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Here is an anthology of Krampus short stories. The side of Christmas that is a bit different from what we usually get. This isn't about jolly Santa who brings kids but Krampus who punishes the bad kids.

Even though I grew up in Europe I didn't know about Krampus until I got older. It is a pretty interesting part of Christmas. This collection is as anthologies usually are a bit of hit and miss. The thing is that pretty much all of them present a very mild Krampus. He doesn't seem like a terrifying monster and I don't know how one can label this book as horror. It is far from horror.

There are two stories that are my favorites. They are also not horror or Krampus style to me but they were really engaging. "The Wicked Child" was a great read about a child to whom even Krampus is better than her real life. And "Between the Eyes", this one didn't feel like it has anything to do with Krampus whatsoever but it was pretty exciting.

A special mention to the "Santa Claus and a little Girl who loved to Sing and Dance" and "Nothing to Dread". Very original ideas. The little girl story is one of the few that actually portrayed Krampus as a scary monster and him being part of Santa was also fun. In Nothing to Dread it is pretty creative how the author made something that seemed a deed to save kids actually ending up in real terror in the future. Apparently woke people don't like the two so it makes them even better.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fantastic and worthwhile collection of stories with a pleasantly surprising amount of female authors (which is all too rare in horror).

As is the case with anthologies the quality is variable but 80% of the tales are exceptional. I am also amazed by how moral many of them are.

A great collection not just to be enjoyed during Krampus season, but all over Christmas!

[Kelsi - Slime and Slashers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful assortment of Krampus-themed stories! Such a fun collection. Some stories shined above others, but overall the entire collection was very enjoyable. This was a perfect, thematic read for the Holiday season...with a delightful, creepy and sinister twist.

[Katherine Loyacano · Rating 5 out of 5]

This anthology is a delightful array of cleverly written short stories about Krampus or “The Christmas Devil.” Some of these tales will have you chuckling while others will give you a shudder. Regardless of where your beliefs lie regarding the half-goat/half-demon, you are sure to enjoy these entertaining anecdotes.

[Alyssa · Rating 2 out of 5]

On the whole, this was only an okay read. Some of the stories were terrible, and some were just okay. Alas.

[Kristen Kinch · Rating 5 out of 5]

There were some really good stories in there!

[John Meszaros · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Christmas season in America is popularly portrayed as a jolly, gaudy time. But in old Europe, with its long history of dark, cold winter nights and thick, spirit-haunted forests, darkness has always walked hand-in-hand with light at Christmastime, evident in the numerous goblins, witches, wild men and child-snatching devils that prowl the Yuletide night.

In recent years one of these monsters- goat-legged, long-tongued, devil-horned Krampus- has made the voyage across the Atlantic to be warmly embraced by a small but significant number of American Christmas revelers. Krampus originally hails from Germany, where he accompanies St. Nicholas on Christmas Eve. While the kindly saint gives presents to good children, Krampus punishes the naughty with beatings from a bundle of switches, or sometimes even takes the worst away in a basket.

To celebrate Krampus’ growing popularity in the States, editor Kate Wolford and World Weaver Press put together an anthology of stories that showcase the Old Christmas Devil in his many forms and aspects.

Krampus as a holiday character is scary fun, his antics so over the top that they’re almost funny in a dark way. When you read an actual piece of fiction about Krampus, however, you realize that a demon who kidnaps and tortures children for minor misbehavior is actually pretty brutal. Some stories in this anthology embrace this grotesqueness, using it either for horror or absurd comedy. Other tales tweak the Krampus narrative a bit. Sometimes he genuinely is a monster that is rightfully feared, as in Cheresse Burke’s “The God Killer” or Colleen H. Robbins’ “Peppermint Sticks”. Caren Gussoff’s “Ring, Little Bell, Ring”, however, explores the appeal and even attraction of Krampus.

Krampus does punish children in a few tales. Sometimes it’s for minor naughtiness as in Jill Corddry’s “Marching Krampus”, but other times it is for more vicious, selfish behavior as in Patrick Evans’ “Santa Claus and the Little Girl Who Loved to Sing and Dance”. Other stories, though, acknowledge that it is adults who are the most wicked and cruel, and most deserving of Krampus’ attention. Such is the case in Lissa Sloan’s Victoriana pastiche “The Visit” and Mark Mills’ more modern “Raw Recruits”.

Several stories, such as Elizabeth Twist’s “Prodigious”, mix Krampus with the modern trappings of American consumer culture Christmas: bored mall Santas, plastic trees, holiday sales, and kitschy décor.

My favorite tale, Elise Forier Edie’s “The Wicked Child” shows that many times people have a distorted perception of what a “bad child” is, and maybe when Krampus takes a child away, it is a far better gift to them than anything Santa brings.

For those looking for a darker alternative to elves, jolly men in red and sugar-coated cheer, or for long-time fans of the Old Christmas Devil, “Krampusnacht” is a satisfying addition to your holiday reading list.

[Rosemarie Short · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the sixth in my #12daysofChristmas read-a-thon! Each day I will post a review of a Christmas / Winter related book. Hopefully this will give you some Xmas-Inspo and give your holiday reading a boost!

After reading countless holiday romances, I was definitely in the mood for something…different. So I delved into the world of Christmas horror. As it turns out, a lot of Christmas horror is erotica – who knew?! But hidden amongst it all was this – twelve short stories about Krampus, Santa’s devilish counterpart.

I honestly hadn’t heard of Krampus until the 2015 Universal Pictures movie came out. But after watching it I have to admit I was interested in the lore. Krampusnacht was a good read because of its variety – stories of varying length set in a multitude of time periods and lots of different takes on the beast of lore.

There are some really great little tales in here – and some not so great. I think for me Ring Little Bell Ring was a story I wish had been longer, it was such an engaging idea, and Santa Claus and the Little Girl who Loved to Sing and Dance was so outrageous it was brilliant. I was also particularly drawn to Raw Recruits – one of the darkest stories in the anthology and definitely my kind of Yuletide horror. However I felt the weaker stories were so weak as to pull down the whole anthology.

If you’re a bit tired of the syrupy sweet, Cliff Richard themed Christmas cheer then Krampusnacht is certainly something you might want to indulge in. It’s a dark hot chocolate (with a healthy splash of something stronger!) kind of book – ideal for those dark (but not too dark!) winter nights!

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great collection of modern Krampus inspired tales written by a variety of authors in a variety of styles but all capturing the dark and disturbing side of Krampus and what he stands for (a being we could really do with in this day and age I feel). Each story has a short introduction explaining the inspiration behind the story giving more of a context to each one, adding to the enjoyment of each one.

[Cecelia Myers · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book! The twelve stories offer something in everything genre from folklore to funny to horror. It's a great read for any time of year, especially for those who are lukewarm on Santa. My personal favorite was The Girl Who Loved to Sing and Dance, which had a grown-up Roald Dahl feel.

[B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun anthology of Krampus

I love short stories. Each one is a very different take on the idea of Krampus. If you like learning about the folklore of Krampus this is a good start.

[Kokoro · Rating 1 out of 5]

Es de todos conocido una antología (incluso una colección) por lo general las historias que recopila varían en cuanto estilo, calidad e interés. Pero, esta es la primera ocasión que me ha tocado leer una recopilación muy desangelada a pesar de estar dedicada a una figura que puede dar de si, pero por alguna razón autoras y autores participantes se alejan del terror para dar su peculiar sentido de castigo, además ese tag de “horror” debería ser borrado pues de terror no leeran nada aquí.

Prodigious by Elizabeth Twist: Un disfraz que causa al prota meterse muy en su papel, plus una secta rara.

The Wicked Child by Elise Forier Edie: Una niña es la apestada del pueblo por su linaje, plus abuelos del año. Sus días felices son cuando les visitan un obispo y su asistente.

Marching Krampus by Jill Corddry : Un niño tiene su recompensa cuando su hermanita se harta de sus travesuras. Historia algo más apegada a lo que es el Krampus aun así demasiado light

Peppermint Sticks by Colleen H. Robbins: El protagonista es contratado por un tal Mr. Krampus para un peculiar trabajo de campo.

Ring, Little Bell, Ring by Caren Gussoff : La prota esta en una relación extra mega super hyper toxica con ya sabrán quien. Sí, WTF!!

A Visit by Lissa Sloan: Un tipo que no era el mejor padre ni menos el mejor esposo recibe LA visita. De nuevo muy light.

Santa Claus and the Little Girl Who Loved to Sing and Dance by Patrick Evans: WTF es esto que lei?? No en serio, WTF?? Una dizque psicóloga de seres sobrenaturales intenta ayudar a un Santa con problemas de confianza, no ayuda una niña le amenace. Intento de body horror pero meh y altas dosis de WTF por todo lo que ocurre después.

Between the Eyes by Guy Burtenshaw: Un extraño sujeto va preguntando por ahí una extraña pregunta, independiente de la respuesta, la acción elegida ocurrirá en el plazo de un año. Medio thriller, y de acuerdo con el autor (medio) social.

Nothing to Dread by Jeff Provine: Otra historia WTF, en muy diversos niveles que no escribire porque al parecer se trata de algo relacionado con alguien de la 2GM, pero digamos el castigador resultó castigado.

Raw Recruits by Mark Mills: Lo que pasa con las personas que el se lleva a sus dominios.

The God Killer by Cheresse Burke: Creo el titulo lo dice todo.

A Krampus Carol by Scott Farrel: Dos vecinos que no pueden verse debido a ciertas circunstancias. La única historia interesante para mi, aun así muy light.

Finalizando, no recomiendo esta antología. Qué tan mala sera que tardé tanto en escribir esta reseña, aun no inició mi reto de este año, ni mucho menos lecturas. (editado para agregar esta última linea).

[Ceallaigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

“He stamped his hoof in front of the house. The front door began to groan. He stamped again. Its locks ticked as the bolts slid free. He stamped a third time, and the door opened wide with a loud, slow, long creak.” — from “Nothing to Dread”, by Jeff Provine

TITLE—Krampusnacht: Twelve Nights of Krampus
AUTHOR—various, ed. by Kate Wolford
PUBLISHED—2014

GENRE—short stories: horror, speculative fiction
SETTING—var. in the western world
MAIN THEMES/SUBJECTS—Krampus, Christmas & Yule, folklore, “modern life”

“You know how Santa is supposed to leave lumps of coal in your stocking if you’re naughty?”
I nod.
“Let’s say it isn’t Santa. Let’s say Santa only wants to deal with nice kids. Somebody still has to deliver the coal.”
“Krampus.”
“Krampus.” She pops her gum as if that’s the last word.”
— from “Prodigious”, by Elizabeth Twist

A couple of these stories were cute but overall I thought that the style of writing felt a bit outdated with some flat, cliche-feeling imagery at times (at least for a collection published in 2014) and while that almost contributed to the darkness of the feel of the collection—sort of dreary-dark but with a pseudo-modern feel—I’m not sure it was the best choice either for the collection as a whole or for each individual story. I would have liked a more contemporary feel (especially philosophically-speaking) to the stories for it to be a truly meaningful collection for me. And a couple of the stories were just plain bad—like unreadable, cringey bad 🥴😅—imo, but since I am extremely invested in the Krampus myth it was still interesting for me to see how modern writers are interpreting the legend for “modern” days.

I would certainly love to see more stories featuring my favorite holiday demon but these stories just weren’t for me.

“For if truth and beauty and love of life must be labeled wickedness, then heaven loves a wicked child, my Tuva. And so do I.” — Krampus in “The Wicked Child”, by Elise Forier Edie

⭐️⭐️⭐️

TW // g-word slur (used in an appropriative manner), fatphobia, a super cringey comment about an author liking “off-beat, quirky ethnic holiday traditions” in their bio 😬 (Please feel free to DM me for more specifics!)

Further Reading—
- Krampus the Yule Lord, by Brom
- The Krampus and the Old Dark Christmas, by Al Ridenour
- Krampus and Other Yuletide Tales, by Faina Lorah
- Gothic Blue Book VI: A Krampus Carol, by Sara Tantlinger—TBR
- Rare Exports (2010 film—Finnish with English subtitles)
- Krampus (2015 film)

[Wyrd Witch · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve already reviewed something Krampus-related this year on the blog, but I’m afraid the love affair with our favorite Christmas Devil has not ended for me. Krampusnacht may no longer be happening in the alpine villages of Southern Germany and Austria, but he’s become a Christmas staple for me. It feels unfair to only handle the folklore and history regarding Krampus’ development. How are writers treating him today? What stories are we telling about Krampus’ legend right now?

Years ago, when I was just a girl, I came across the online magazine Enchanted Conversation. This online journal focuses on stories, poems, and essays that revolve around fairy tales, folklore, and myth. I fell in love with its offerings, and I quickly added the anthologies produced by its editor, Kate Wolford, into my wishlist.

Now, after years of yearning, I finally hold Kate Wolford’s Krampus anthology. How does it hold up?

Read the rest of the review here.

[Rayne Dickerson · Rating 3 out of 5]

While the majority of the stories were good, there were 2 that were absolutely the exact opposite of not only the spirit of Krampus but also the spirit of Yule, Christmas and Santa. I would recommend reading the stories but completely ignoring Nights 7 and 9 as "evil" selfish bratty children somehow "defeat" Krampus and live "happily ever after"...seriously...how is that supposed to make anyone feel anything positive? But there were some really good stories. A few in which Krampus was viewed as something evil but in others Krampus was just Krampus and doing his job by destroying evil, putting the wicked back on the path of good or rewarding a "wicked" child for just being herself and reaching for her happiness. Krampus is not evil. Santa is not good. We each have two sides to our own stories...we each have good and evil inside ourselves...why do we believe our deities or magical beings are any different?

[Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was very excited about the prospect of a whole book full of Krampus stories. Sadly however, the stories in this anthology were really hit or miss with most of them being a miss IMO. Of course there were a few jewels that made the collection worth reading but overall just not that impressed w the collection sadly. 🎅🏼👹🎄❄️

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great collection of short stories, all about Krampus. There was a good variety of types of tales, from old world to contemporary, and the writing was quite well done. It's also a pretty quick read if you are moving through the book.

[Cynthia Dumarin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a mixed bag. I really loved about half the stories, and really didn't like about half the others. There was enough good material here that l will plan on revisiting this book yearly as part of my holiday traditions.