Christmas has a dark side — and his name is Krampus.

In this special holiday episode, we take our deepest folklore dive yet into the ancient origins, cultural evolution, and modern revival of one of winter’s most feared figures. Long before Santa, Krampus roamed Alpine villages enforcing morality, punishing misbehavior, and embodying the chaos of winter itself.

We explore how Krampus evolved from pagan winter spirit to Saint Nicholas’s terrifying companion, how communities used fear as a survival tool, and why masked Krampus runs still shake towns across Europe today.

Expect history, anthropology, mythology, psychology — and plenty of banter — as we unpack why humanity keeps inviting monsters into the holidays.

Light the fire. Lock the doors.
And hope you stayed off the naughty list.