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Men dressed as Krampus, during a traditional Krampus procession in the city of Munich, Germany, on December 7, 2008. 

A man dressed as Krampus, the companion of St. Nicholas and one of Austria's unique Advent traditions, makes his way during a traditional Krampus procession in Unken, Austrian province of Salzburg, on December 5, 2010. 

People watch the Krampus procession of the Koatlacker devil's association on December 4, 2011 in Prad near Merano, Italy. In the tradition, which involves elaborate masks, some of which are centuries old, the devils accompany St. Nicholas when he visits little children to determine who has been good or bad, and the tradition is still practiced in Austria, southern Germany and the South Tyrol region of northern Italy. 

Members of the Koatlacker devil's association, dressed as demonic creatures take part in a Krampus procession on December 4, 2011 in Prad near Merano, Italy. 

Woodcarver Markus Spiegel carves a traditional Perchten mask out of stone pine wood in Pfaffenhofen, some 35 km (22 miles) west of Innsbruck, November 20, 2012. Each year in November and January people in the western Austria regions dress-up in Perchten (also known in some regions as Krampus or Tuifl) costumes and parade through the streets to perform a 1,500 year-old pagan ritual to disperse the ghosts of winter. Each handmade traditional costume, consisting of up to 14 separate sheep or goat skins, takes three dress makers one day to produce, and costs between 500 - 600 euros. Some 15 hours are needed for a woodcarver to sculpt each demon mask which is made from stone pine wood with goat horns attached. The mask costs an additional 600 euros. 

A participant dressed as Krampus walks the streets in search of delinquent children during Krampusnacht on November 30, 2013 in Neustift im Stubaital, Austria.

A member of the Haiminger Krampusgruppe dressed as Krampus hits a fire to release sparks on the town square during their annual Krampusnacht in Tyrol, on December 1, 2013.