Gruß vom Krampus

 "Why are you so fascinated with Krampus?" my niece Naomi asked trying to get a handle on all of the Krampus figures, pictures, and the small black Krampus tree stationed in the dining room.   I'm sure I rattled off some quick and glib answer but wanted to really explore this whole obsession that I share with so many others.  

For those that are unfamiliar with this yuletide devil, Krampus accompanies St. Nicolas on his trek through the mountain villages in Austria and Southern Germany.  As St. Nicholas rewards children on December 5th, his partner Krampus punishes naughty children by beating them with Birch branches, some legends even speak of Krampus shoving kids into the basket on his back and dragging naughty children off to hell.  

Several small towns in Austria and Southern Germany celebrate with a Krampuslauf.  This is when a veritable army of Krampuses march down the street to the beating of a drum, hitting adults and children with birch switches and pretending to drag them off to hell.  

The costume are absolutely terrifying, pandemonium and chaos abounds during these parades. One must wonder who in the world would subject children to this terrifying ordeal?  Taken out of context it must seem downright abusive to bring your child to the Krampuslauf.   Most village boys and men that dress up as Krampus are gentle with children preferring to focus attentions on adults, for many of the younger men it is yet another attempt to impress young women with their exploits...who truly understands the mating rituals of heterosexuals?  Certainly not me.  

The key to understanding Krampus is steeped cultural context.  The partnership of St. Nicholas and Krampus is an historical pairing in the mountainous regions. Dark figures (witches, devils, and assorted beasts) around Christmas can be seen in the folklore of many of the countries in Europe.  One can imagine the imagination running wild on the cold winter nights, with the wind blowing, the snow piling up,and the darkness consuming the world.  It is no wonder ghost stories and tales of devils and witches abound during these winter months.   

Although Krampus has no direct connections to paganism, definitely early Christian origins, the idea of a figure that participates in taboo acts, intimidating, striking, and man-handling neighbors is related to practices from Roman holidays.  The birch switch that Krampus carries also has a direct connection to pagan rituals.  Although a loose connection to the pagan holidays, Krampus has its roots in the Christmas plays of the 1700's in the form of devils and the archetype biblical villain, King Herod (yes, the slayer of all the first borns).    

As Krampus evolved the stories regarding this devil of the season were utilized to ensure children were behaving, and to ensure social norms were followed.   

Now most European cities with a Krampuslauf consider this a quaint folkloric custom steeped in history.  Krampus becomes alot less terrifying and more an interesting cultural observance.  Children attending their first Krampslauf may even see this as a rite of passage, expecially considering that parents and older male siblings are participating in the Krampuslauf and they too might one day participate.  

As of late he has become popular figure in America, with Krampuslauf's happening on December 5th all over the United States.  

The quick answer of why I am fascinated is that Krampus really provides an antidote to the saccharine sweet Christmas for which the U.S. of A. has become so famous.  The jolly Saint Nick is so far removed from the origins of Saint Nicholas.  The historical Saint Nick was known for surreptitiously slipping coins into the shoes of impoverished adults. He is also said to have brought back to life three children butchered by a malicious butcher who was going to eat them during a famine.  Dark I know.  Later in Christian history, nuns would often bring clothes and toys to impoverished children on Saint Nicholas day (Dec. 6), and so the tradition of gift giving began. It was a natural extension for some communities to include Krampus with Saint Nicholas owing to the themes of those early plays.  

Christmas around the world but especially in America has become a time of over indulgence, and over consumption.  Over entitled children demand expensive gifts and families are artificially forced together for a brief time.  Yes, there are some wonderfully generous gestures during this time and in the spirit of the season, and people very often are inspired to express feelings of goodwill and hope.  I am also always super impressed with the celebration of light and beauty during this season.  

Krampus is not the antithesis to much of this rather the complementary yin to the yang of the season.  When we think of the yin-yang symbol it is easy to slip into that these are opposites, rather the light and the dark are complementary, interconnected, and interdependent.  Just as we do not see the "Naughty" list as working against Santa, Krampus does not undo the work of Saint Nicholas, rather he complements the work. 

One of the reasons I think we have over entitled children is that they have very little reason for exhibiting positive character traits.  Generous behavior, gratitude, self control, and civility are not modeled by many adults in their lives nor are these behaviors often expected of children.  We certainly don't reward these behaviors when we see children exhibiting them.  We more often reward kids exhibiting aggressive and decidedly uncivil behaviors.   

To me, Krampus is a reminder that there is accountability in the world.  Our actions and behaviors have consequences.  Is it right to use a demonic figure to terrify children into behaving?  Definitely overkill, and definitely old world.  But maybe the reminder isn't so much for the kids in the first place, maybe this is a physical manifestation of a reminder to parents that there are rewards when our children's values are centered on generosity and kindness, and consequences for when our kids act like spoiled entitled assholes.  

And now...The Krampus Gallery...

A print with Yosiell's take on the Krampus.  I absolutely love this one...

Monique and Rusty encountering an incredible Krampus at the Oddities and Curiosity Market, in Alameda, December 3rd (two days before Krampusnaucht) 

Lance andLee wearing Krampuses on Christmas day...I'm pretty. sure these böser Buben deserve the birch branches and a short time in the basket...dragging them to hell might be a little much. 

Mini Krampus in Lego!  Yaaasssss! 

Nutcracker Krampus...how cool is that? 

Straight off my Krampus tree,,,three Krumpuses in this pic alone. 

That time I dressed up as Krampus and Jaimie reevaluated whether she has been naughty or nice.  

Krampus and St. Nicholas

This is not a complete gallery of all of our Krampuses but a good start for the initiate.  So, we all know I'm a bottom line guy (à la Maury Povich) and bottom line is that I like Krampus as a complement to the sickeningly sweet Christmas time.  One day I would like to visit the Alpine region of Austria and Germany and witness a Krampuslauf for myself.  I think he provides a counterbalance.  he also serves as a reminder of consequences for behavior.  I believe most kids make it out of childhood as kind and generous souls, the Krampus is just the Austrian "better watch out better not pout" version of Santa Claus.  So, in this spirit I wish you: 

Gruß vom Krampus

Autumnal Musings

 The first day of autumn has passed and despite the warm daytime weather, the evenings are a little chilled ripe for warm pumpkin spiced drinks and wrapping ourselves in cozy blankets.  It has been quite a while since updating you, my gentle readers, on my everyday adventures.  So, make yourself a mug of tea, wrap yourself in a cozy wool blanket, and enjoy a quick read of this blogpost. 

Optimism was high at the start of the year, but soon it was clear that the new year was starting similar to the dumpster fire that was 2020.  Despite the COVID protocols and associated struggles, there has been many bright spots.  My nephew, Matteo, and his wife Naomi moved to Sacramento in 2020.  As much as I love both of them, I'm really only putting up with them to support one of my greatest joys, spending time with my grand niece Larkyn. 

She is super cute, always cautious around her Guncles for the first 30 minutes or so but warms up pretty quickly and charms us all with her brilliant smile and sparkling eyes.  

Larkyn enjoying her 1st Birthday with mom, and her guncles.  

Of course it was unicorn themed...

A mini bundt cake will put a smile on anyone's face.  

Easter, a day most sinners eschew.  Our normal Easter tradition, spending the day at the Hunky Jesus contest in Alamo park in SF, has been foiled two years in row by pandemic mandates. In lieu of the Hunky Jesus contest, we share Easter brunch with our next door neighbors. Of course it is as you would imagine, lots of champagne cocktails, waffles, and more champagne cocktails.  We also incorporate an Easter Bonnet contest.  This year the grand prize was an actual trophy, coveted by all. 

Family, weird but fun!  Recycled Tiger King Bonnets, no one attends without a bonnet.  (Fortunately there is no lack of bonnets in our household...a veritable basement full of them).  

I don't care who you are...this is adorable.  Larkyn's drag queen training continues everytime we buy an outfit, that's for sure. 

Not quite an Easter bonnet parade, but marching in parades makes it more likely you'll spill your cocktail.  

The triplets...All with homemade bonnets. 

I've named my bonnet, Juevos con Jesus...a modest and classy chapeau.  

This bonnet is flamboyant and mysterious, much like the fashionista wearing it.   

Je suis Peeps, deux. Yosiell, ever the fashionista.  

Our quirky and fun neighbors up for anything, after a few cocktails.  DIY homemade hats. 

Pablo designed his hat inspired from our story of another legendary hat...yes, the BLT Tacky party story of Wayne Wilson ripping apart a giant silver egg on his head as at least 100 peeps flew all over the yard.  Je Suis Peeps indeed.  Pablo made his hat so Peeps would fly out of the top. That's the kind of commitment we admire so of course he won the trophy.  Pablo now gets to present the trophy to next year's winner...I'm not sure anyone else is going to get it because he loves that trophy ALOT.  

Spring and the pandemic continued to rage.  One of the positive side effects of the pandemic has been a shifting of our social priorities. The outings and the adventures are severely curtailed, one only wishes to chance an encounter with those that are part of your chosen family. We managed to find diversions and opportunities to see our closest loved one.  

Sonoma wine tasting with the ever elusive Monique and Lance.  A beautiful May day filled with good friends, laughter, and booze of course.  

Michelle and Rusty sampling the local wines and strolling the Gundlach Bundschu grounds.  

Buena Vista winery in all of our finery.  Michelle, Lee, and Rusty tasting all that Buena Vista has to offer.  

SF Gay Pride this year came and went without much fanfare.  We did manage to catch a drink in the Castro to show our pride. 

Gay pride drinks in a Castro outdoor parklette...

 

Rusty enjoying the rainbow splendor.  

4th of July rolled around and we chose to enjoy it poolside with the incomparable and incomporably patriotic Lee and Michelle.

4th of July in the Pleasanton hills, enjoying the pool...

Giant Jenga!  It's always fun until a wooden brick smashes into the glass table...

Deep thoughts on life, the universe, and whether there are any more pulled pork sandos.  

Bring on the fireworks...said no one ever in the dry fire prone hills of California.  

A complete picture of relaxation and patriotic pride. 

 An excellent way to spend the fourth for sure. 

What to do in the middle of summer during a pandemic to take a little vacay?  Follow every other Californian and drive to Oregon of course.  During the month of July, Rusty and I did a pre retirement trip to Oregon, Both of us are still pretty far out of retirement age, but have decided to start taking trips checking out potential places to settle post our public service jobs.  

First stop?  Ashland, Oregon.  A lovely college and theatre town with a cute downtown area.  A great place to visit but due to excessive heat definitely not a place we would ever settle.  

Trying to beat the hot weather in Ashland.  

We sat down at a wonderful open air beer and cider bar, and met very friendly local residents to pick their brains on living in the area.  Ashland is well worth a quick stop over, even without the Shakespeare Festival.  

The highlight of our trip was taking a day trip to crater lake in Eastern Oregon.  The lake was absolutely gorgeous.  It is the deepest lake in the United States and I venture to guess the bluest lake,  The whole scenery was absolutely breathtaking.  

Absolutely stunning, the blues of the lake were so vibrant and mesmerizing.  

Rusty completely in his happy place here on the side of the lake.  

After a long school year of distance learning, sitting on the edge of this lake truly kicked in a state of euphoria.  

After a day in what can only be described as heaven on Earth, we went to Portland.  This was truly a pre-retirement trip researching places in and around Portland.  We did find some very attractive small towns on the Washington state side of the river.  Even though we were enamored with several of the towns, we didn't take any post worthy photos.  

After a few days in Portland we headed off toward the Oregon coast and a brief stay in Astoria.  An amazingly beautiful part of Oregon to be sure.  Astoria is certainly a strong contender for retirement, the biggest drawback is the drive to the largest and airport is just over two hours, in Portland.  

Beautiful but chilly evening on the coast. 

Amazing sunsets in Astoria. 

The Oregon Film Museum, it's pretty much the Goonies film museum.  This old courthouse was in the old 80's flick, the Goonies.  

This grand Victorian was also in the film Goonies, and played the part of a museum.  

After wandering all of the locations in the Goonies, we took a few hours to climb the Astoria column. The column has a narrow staircase going all the way to the top.  Not for the claustrophobic or those afraid of heights.  

Here we are on top of the Astoria column.  The gift store sells balsa wood flyers.  Lots if kids and adults were tossing the flyers off of the column trying to fly down to the bottom of the hill.  (Most were stuck in the trees and I guess environmentally not too bad since the flyers actually break down eventually into mulch).  

Panoramic view from the top. 

You gotta appreciate a place that puts a huge phallic symbol towering above all.  One has to wonder whether the column is a good omen for a place to move.  

Elk on the side of the road?  What?  

Not just one, but a whole herd.  

On the way out of town we stopped at Haystack Rock.  A spot also featured in Goonies (although from the movie one gets the impression this natural feature is only a bike ride away from town, it took a good forty minutes to drive there).  A little know fact, this is the only known place on this coast that puffins are known to nest.  

As we were searching for puffins through our binoculars, we noticed a bald eagle flying from the forest and trying to grab a midday seagull chick snack.  The seagulls went to war over this and drove that eagle unceremoniously back to the forest.  An exciting show courtesy of Mother Nature. 

After, we travelled down he coast and back toward our humble lives in California.  On the way, we stopped several places, including a random spot that boasts an arch rock.  

In complete awe of the staggering beauty available to those who stop and take it all in! 

"Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air," Ralph Waldo Emerson.  

Unusually bright and warm for a summer day on the Oregon Coast.  

Mature gents taking a stroll on the beach recharging our souls starved by COVID 19 quarantining.  

Sea life just hanging out at the beach.  

As we continued down the coast, we spent a day in the Redwood National Park. This was checking off a box for me as I have a plan to visit every one of our National Parks.  There are sixty two parks and so far I've visited eight.  

Rusty standing in front of a Redwood that is over 1,500 years old.  Humbling to be sure.  

Lush, green waterfall.  The face of two happy hikers to be sure.  

Alas, the vacay eventually had end, and we headed back reluctantly to our home on the bay in Oakland. Being a school site principal is no easy task during this age of pandemic mania.  This start of the school year has been perhaps the hardest beyond my first year as an administrator.  We are reinventing all that we have known abut educating students and often making it up as we go along.  As difficult as it has been, each educator takes comfort in the fact that we have been in person.  Our students are resilient and have been slowly getting back their sea legs on the big ship that is public education.  

Beyond work, we have been taking full advantage of the fall.  We attended a very scaled back Oakland Gay Pride, with pretty big name drag queens, La La Rie and Trinity K Bonet (Front the ATL).  

Enjoying the warm October weather.  Oakland Black Pride actually put the event on and although small we certainly enjoyed the event and the focus on our LGBTQ POCs.  

La La Rie lip syncing the house down! 

No matter the time of year, we often find ourselves wine tasting at our favorite spot, Buena Vista in Sonoma.  

Ir is clear we spend waaaaaaaayyyyy too much money here.  We made a reservation for wine tasting with Liz and Paul, friends near and dear to our hearts, and they sat us in the reserved tasting room.  We felt like huge ballers...

Paul insulting the wine steward with his Boones Farm Tickle Me Pink tastes. Rusty and Paul went to high school together in Fayetteville, NC...40 years ago...This is a 40+ year friendship...how cool is that? 

Rusty enjoying the fruits of someone else's labors.  

Liz and myself enjoying the luxury of which we have quickly become accustomed.

And before you know Halloween is upon us.

This years creepy mantle courtesy of Yosiell and his talented design skills.  

Spooky home to terrify on Halloween night.

 Our annual Halloween house decorating with the next door neighbor kid, Pablo.  We try to do this every year for Halloween and Christmas.  We get to sugar the kids up and send them back home...best guncles ever.  

Theresa constructing a baking masterpiece, worthy of the Great British Bake Off.  

As we wrap up this extended Blog Post, a few odds and end to share.  

Recently, we went to the Bearisson Street Fair.  And at the end of the afternoon and were treated to Big Dipper, a large bear rapper that is absolutely hilarious and absolutely talented.  With hits like La Croix Boy, Chunkita, and Thiccness.  He espouses body positivity and is a great representative of the Bear Community.  

Big Dipper hitting it hard, he has an amazing amount of energy.  I venture to guess that he may be replacing my favorite street fair performers, The Ethel Merman Experience, and Polkalicious.  

Well, gentle reader you have been patient during this data dump of random 2021 experiences.  Just one more interesting tidbit, a few months ago I was thinking of my Army days and my thoughts drifted to my best friend from those days, Jeanne Robinson.   Jeanne reached out to me recently and what a joy it was to get a phone call from this amazing woman with whom I have shared so much in my young impressionable days, including a few sordid adventures, only shared by me sitting in a dive bar drinking one too many bourbons. 

Jeanne and I in front of the Frankfurt Opera fountain, late 80's.  Such wonderful experiences and friends that have shaped the person I am today.  

Well, gentle reader, thanks for staying with me for this long and rambling journal. We are looking forward to the holidays, starting with Halloween - in our neighborhood we get about 300 kids coming to the door, that's alot of candy!  Although the pandemic has not ended, I'm hoping the holidays inspire us to reach out to each other and reconnect as much as possible.  Enjoy the remaining days of Autumn.