Nowadays Krampus is a Halloween/Xmas cross but once misbehaving was taken more seriously.
When I was 8, my cousin and I would stay with our grandma, Ova Short Suddeth. We’d stay up giggling. She’d holler up the stairs, “You boys hush up or the Boogerman will get you.” (sometimes Boogieman) I consider Krampus and Boogerman the same.
Twisted Christmas
Charles Suddeth
He’s hairy, his beard down to his waist,
With billy goat’s horns and cloven hooves.
His forked tongue pokes through wolf fangs,
He is nonother than Hillbilly Krampus.
He drags long chains, flicks his whip,
Clangs a devilish dingy dinner bell,
Packs a burlap poke over his back,
Fills it with bad little boys and girls.
He drives a rickety old wagon,
Pulled by eight ornery mules,
All splay-footed and flop-eared,
Braying and bawling and belching.
He has his hellish little helpers,
Trolls and ogres and gnomes,
If you see any of them coming,
You best flee for your very life.
If you’re a good little boy or girl,
You have nothing at all to fear.
If you’ve been naughty or bad,
Saint Nick will never find you.
Krampus is meaner than a moonshiner,
The lucky ones, he drowns in creeks,
Still others get grilled and barbecued,
The unlucky ones get hauled off to Hell.
I do believe in Santa Claus,
Always have, and always will.
Now of Krampus I have many doubts,
But I’m not taking any chances.
St. Nick, I’ve been good. Oh so very, very good.
C. T. Suddeth 
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