Hide Your Kids, Krampus is Coming to Rochester

This article was scraped from Rochester Subway. This is a blog about Rochester history and urbanism has not been published since 2017. The current owners are now publishing link spam which made me want to preserve this history.. The original article was published December 03, 2013 and can be found here.

   Are you sick of the crass commercialism of Christmas? Looking to add a little edge to your holiday festivities? Here's a free event you won't want to miss. On Saturday, December 7, at MuCCC (142 Atlantic Ave.) snag breakfast with everyone's favorite holiday demon, Krampus, and help some needy kids at the same time.

Who the hell is Krampus? I'm glad you asked...

    Krampus

is a creature from Eastern European folklore. While St. Nicholas would go around handing out gifts and fruit to well-behaved children, his pal Krampus--covered in fur, long slithering tongue, horns and hooves like a goat--would take the bad children, put them in a sack, and beat them with sticks. If they were particularly naughty, he'd put them in a basket and drag them to hell.

   Krampus is making a comeback in Europe and becoming popular around the world now too. Here in Rochester, a group of friends who call themselves the Kramplings, are eager to bring Krampus to Western NY.

"We don't in any way encourage child beating - far from it. We see Krampus as a cautionary tale, a tool to help modern-day kids behave around the holidays, because the Santa threat no longer works," the Kramplings said in a press release. "Those kids know they're getting presents no matter what they do. But bad behavior equals getting spanked by a demon? That'll motivate them to clean their rooms and stop kicking their brother/sister."

To spread the bad word of Krampus, the Kramplings have put together Breakfast with Krampus, a FREE community on Saturday, December 7 from 10:00am to 3:00pm. Come down to     MuCCC

with a new, unwrapped toy to donate to less-fortunate kids. Krampus himself will be on stage. If he likes your toy, you'll get a free breakfast treat of your choosing. If he doesn't, he'll publicly harass you. And if you're particularly bad, he might just drag you to the underworld.

But that's not all!
   In addition to a visit with Krampus, you can also:

• Get your photo taken with the holiday demon (for a nominal fee)
• Check out an educational display on Krampus and other disturbing, archaic holidays icons
• Make crafts with Krampus
• Shop an alternative arts & crafts fair and bake sale
• Buy Krampus merchandise (t-shirts, buttons, greeting cards, music, etc.)
• Take in a live performance by The Bloody Noes and other special guests

Admission to Breakfast with Krampus is totally FREE -- however the event is intended ONLY for ages 16 and up. (We don't want to scare any children - that's your job.) All toys donated at the event will be given to a local charity. All funds raised at the bake sale and arts and crafts fair will be kept by the local artists and crafters.

Event Details:

WHEN:    Saturday, December 7, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

WHERE:    MuCCC - 142 Atlantic Ave. (     map

)

WHAT:    FREE community event. Learn about the stick-wielding European anti-Santa who terrorizes bad children. Bring a new, unwrapped toy to donate to needy kids. If Krampus likes it, you'll get a treat. If not, he'll publicly harass you. PLUS: Get your photo with Krampus (nominal fee), make crafts, shop a local arts & crafts fair, buy Krampus merchandise, and take in a live performance by The Bloody Noes.

WHO:    Open to everyone 16 and older

For more information on Breakfast with Krampus contact Eric Rezsnyak at      [email protected]    or 585-748-1247. Or visit     breakfastwithkrampus.com

. Krampus can also be found on     Twitter

or     Facebook

.