Christmas time in Wien:
I know Christmas is over but the Christmas season is a big part of Viennese culture.
All around the city starting right around thanksgiving, you'll find Christmasmarkts. These are delightful way to get ready for the Holiday season: little wooden huts completely decked out with ornaments and crafts, schnitzel stands, apfelstrudel, chestnuts roasting, and warmed wine and drinks called glüwein and punsch. Yummy.
Trees decorate with giant snowman, heart, guitar, you name-it lights at the Rathaus Christmasmarkt.
Typical ornament stand
Schönnbrunn Christmasmarkt
Salzburg Christmasmarkt
Still wondering what a Krampus is? Well without further adieu- Krampus:
This devilish creature is part of a terrifying tradition. When Christmasmarkts open up, people dress up with huge grotesque masks and carry around sticks to hit you with if you are being bad. The original legend of Krampus says that if kids misbehave, Krampus will take them back to hell with him. Yeah, pretty scary. Luckily I did not see a Krampus in person but these costumes are so huge that when they come up to you and tease you, you are not allowed to touch them because they could fall over and get injured from the weight of the costume. I think they wear or drag giant cowbells to announce their arrival too.
Modern day Krampi:
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