Krampus (mythology)

Krampus, or the Krampus, was a being who fed on the fear of children, and a companion and servant of St Nicholas in Austrian and German folklore, representing the dark side of Christmas. Although referred to as male in folklore, and having once operated under the alias of Mr. Henderson, one account showed that Krampu was actually female.

Meeting the Thirteenth Doctor
Under the alias of Mr Henderson, Krampus appropriated the aesthetic of Christmas, disguising herself as Santa Claus to terrify the love of Christmas out of children of Earth for her and her minions. She kidnapped workers to create a hybrid teleportation and energy collection device.

The Thirteenth Doctor, Team TARDIS, and Baxter stopped her plan after their second visit to Mr. Henderson's world, once they realised the memories of their unsuccessful first visit were altered.

She considered herself a vegetarian, as she consumed energy instead of flesh. (COMIC: Holiday Special)

In folklore
According to the Austrian Christian beliefs, the Krampus accompanied St Nicholas. While the latter rewarded good children, the Krampus punished bad children. One version claimed that the Krampus uses the famous list of good children that is checked twice. (AUDIO: Better Watch Out) Another version maintained that the Krampus had "his" own list of naughty children, written in blood. "He" stole the wickedest children by stuffing them into the basket on "his" back (PROSE: Do You Believe in the Krampus?) and dragging them to hell. (AUDIO: Better Watch Out)

Every 5 December, on the eve of St Nicholas's Day, Salzburg organised a Krampus run, or Krampuslauf in German. During it young men dressed in furs, wore wooden masks with goat's horns and carried chains and cowbells to scare passers-by. (PROSE: Do You Believe in the Krampus?) They whipped the legs of naughty boys with birch branches. (AUDIO: Better Watch Out)

Children in schools prepared for the event by making posters to hang out outside their schools. It was also a custom both in Austria (PROSE: Do You Believe in the Krampus?) and Germany (COMIC: Relative Dimensions) to send Krampus postcards. (PROSE: Do You Believe in the Krampus?)

The Eighth Doctor did not believe that Krampus really existed, and conjectured that, like most horned demons in Earth folklore, the myth of the Krampus was based on some alien race that came into contact with humanity in its earliest days. (AUDIO: Better Watch Out) For instance, the Third Doctor once encountered a Dæmon in England. (TV: The Dæmons)

Impersonations and facsimiles
The Fifth Doctor and Vislor Turlough tried to prevent an alien, who impersonated the Krampus, from eating children in Salzburg during a Krampus run. (PROSE: Do You Believe in the Krampus?)

The Eighth Doctor, Liv Chenka and Helen Sinclair encountered a gigantic version of a Krampus in Salzburg. It had been brought into existence by Artron in fulfilment of a wish of Maria Werner that the Krampus be real. (AUDIO: Fairytale of Salzburg)

A member of the Pantheon of Discord posing as Krampus tried to remove Amy, Rory and Mels from history. (COMIC: Imaginary Enemies)

The Eleventh Doctor met a gaseous species that took on the appearance of Krampus. (COMIC: Red Christmas)

The Twelfth Doctor and Clara Oswald were once attacked by a Krampus from a German Krampus card made real by the Celestial Toymaker. (COMIC: Relative Dimensions)

Appearance
According to Austrian tradition, the Krampus of the Christmas myth was described as a humanoid figure with goat hooves and horns, covered in fur who had a demon-like face (AUDIO: Better Watch Out), red eyes and long forked red tongue. He would have black chains hanging from its wrists, and on his back he would carry a basket. (PROSE: Do You Believe in the Krampus?)

The artificial Krampus created by Artron to fulfil Maria Werner's wish looked like the mythical Krampus but was as tall as the mountains. (AUDIO: Better Watch Out)