Weird NewsChristmaskrampus

Terrifying Krampus Celebrations Spread Christmas Fear

Meet Santa's frightening counterpart.
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By 

Overnight Editor, HuffPost

You’d better watch out ― Krampus is coming to town.

Hollabrunn’s market square in Austria held its annual Krampus Run over the weekend, with dozens of performers dressed as the creature celebrated ― and feared ― as Santa’s frightening counterpart.

According to tradition in some parts of Europe, Krampus beats naughty children with a bundle of sticks and carries them off in a basket on his back. 

That’s not exactly what most kids want for Christmas.

As the clip above shows, the Krampuses in this event take their job very seriously, intimidating and in some cases even hitting bystanders. 

Another Krampus event was held in Zidlochovice in the Czech Republic over the weekend. 

See images of those festivities in the gallery below: 

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Before You Go

Krampus Is Coming To Town
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ZIDLOCHOVICE, CZECH REPUBLIC - NOVEMBER 26: Participants dressed as Krampus walk at the street during Krampus gathering on November 26, 2016 in Zidlochovice (at Brno), Czech Republic. (Photo by Lukas Kabon/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images) (credit:Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
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ZIDLOCHOVICE, CZECH REPUBLIC - NOVEMBER 26: Participants dressed as Krampus walk at the street during Krampus gathering on November 26, 2016 in Zidlochovice (at Brno), Czech Republic. (Photo by Lukas Kabon/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images) (credit:Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
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ZIDLOCHOVICE, CZECH REPUBLIC - NOVEMBER 26: Participants dressed as Krampus walk at the street during Krampus gathering on November 26, 2016 in Zidlochovice (at Brno), Czech Republic. (Photo by Lukas Kabon/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images) (credit:Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
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ZIDLOCHOVICE, CZECH REPUBLIC - NOVEMBER 26: Participants dressed as Krampus walk at the street during Krampus gathering on November 26, 2016 in Zidlochovice (at Brno), Czech Republic. (Photo by Lukas Kabon/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images) (credit:Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
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ZIDLOCHOVICE, CZECH REPUBLIC - NOVEMBER 26: Participants dressed as Krampus walk at the street during Krampus gathering on November 26, 2016 in Zidlochovice (at Brno), Czech Republic. (Photo by Lukas Kabon/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images) (credit:Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
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ZIDLOCHOVICE, CZECH REPUBLIC - NOVEMBER 26: Participants dressed as Krampus walk at the street during Krampus gathering on November 26, 2016 in Zidlochovice (at Brno), Czech Republic. (Photo by Lukas Kabon/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images) (credit:Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
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ZIDLOCHOVICE, CZECH REPUBLIC - NOVEMBER 26: Participants dressed as Krampus walk at the street during Krampus gathering on November 26, 2016 in Zidlochovice (at Brno), Czech Republic. (Photo by Lukas Kabon/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images) (credit:Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
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ZIDLOCHOVICE, CZECH REPUBLIC - NOVEMBER 26: Participants dressed as Krampus walk at the street during Krampus gathering on November 26, 2016 in Zidlochovice (at Brno), Czech Republic. (Photo by Lukas Kabon/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images) (credit:Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
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ZIDLOCHOVICE, CZECH REPUBLIC - NOVEMBER 26: Participants dressed as Krampus walk at the street during Krampus gathering on November 26, 2016 in Zidlochovice (at Brno), Czech Republic. (Photo by Lukas Kabon/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images) (credit:Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
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ZIDLOCHOVICE, CZECH REPUBLIC - NOVEMBER 26: Participants dressed as Krampus walk at the street during Krampus gathering on November 26, 2016 in Zidlochovice (at Brno), Czech Republic. (Photo by Lukas Kabon/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images) (credit:Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
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ZIDLOCHOVICE, CZECH REPUBLIC - NOVEMBER 26: Participants dressed as Krampus walk at the street during Krampus gathering on November 26, 2016 in Zidlochovice (at Brno), Czech Republic. (Photo by Lukas Kabon/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images) (credit:Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
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ZIDLOCHOVICE, CZECH REPUBLIC - NOVEMBER 26: Participants dressed as Krampus walk at the street during Krampus gathering on November 26, 2016 in Zidlochovice (at Brno), Czech Republic. (Photo by Lukas Kabon/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images) (credit:Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
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ZIDLOCHOVICE, CZECH REPUBLIC - NOVEMBER 26: Participants dressed as Krampus walk at the street during Krampus gathering on November 26, 2016 in Zidlochovice (at Brno), Czech Republic. (Photo by Lukas Kabon/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images) (credit:Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
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ZIDLOCHOVICE, CZECH REPUBLIC - NOVEMBER 26: Participants dressed as Krampus walk at the street during Krampus gathering on November 26, 2016 in Zidlochovice (at Brno), Czech Republic. (Photo by Lukas Kabon/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images) (credit:Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
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ZIDLOCHOVICE, CZECH REPUBLIC - NOVEMBER 26: Participants dressed as Krampus walk at the street during Krampus gathering on November 26, 2016 in Zidlochovice (at Brno), Czech Republic. (Photo by Lukas Kabon/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images) (credit:Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
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ZIDLOCHOVICE, CZECH REPUBLIC - NOVEMBER 26: Participants dressed as Krampus walk at the street during Krampus gathering on November 26, 2016 in Zidlochovice (at Brno), Czech Republic. (Photo by Lukas Kabon/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images) (credit:Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
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