Advent Markets, St. Nicholas, and Krampus

The Season of Advent has arrived - and it's been a wonderful one in Austria so far!  It's quite a bit different from being in the U.S. at this time of year.  

There is no Santa Claus (instead there is Christkindl, blond child/girl with angelic wings, who is the gift-bringer on Christmas Eve) and no decorated Christmas trees in homes yet (apparently that happens on Christmas Eve, until then you can bring a tree home early but - as Brian was told today - you put in a corner in a bucket of water and then on Christmas Eve you put it in the wooden stand).  But there are a lot of wonderful (and some scary) new things to see!

First up - Advent/Christmas Markets!

Most towns have these wonderful markets - selling Christmas decorations, yummy treats, and Gluhwein (sweet, mulled wine).  The larger cities have huge markets and people from all over the world come to visit them.  With Christmas lights everywhere and music playing - it's SO much fun to walk through these winter wonderlands!  

We visited two of the markets in Vienna a couple of weeks ago....here are some pictures:

Viennese Christmas Market in front of City Hall (Rathausplatz) - the largest in Vienna

Yummy Treats!

Carousels and Rides for Ellie

Waldhaus (Forest House) - you can look inside the house and see Elves baking cookies!

The Nativity

Market at Maria-Theresien Platz

Ornaments to buy

The Advent Market in our town, Gaming, is right here at the Kartause where Brian works and students study.  Our Market only runs about 10 days (the ones in Vienna start before Advent and some go til after New Years).  Our courtyard holds the vendors selling Gluhwein, sausages, hot chocolate, crepes and more.  Inside the building are many different vendors - with ornaments, toys, scarves, Nativity Scenes, jewelry, and much more.  Some of the students classes are moved around to make room for everything - it's quite the place to go to school/work/church!!

Kartause Courtyard

Shops inside the Kartause ballroom

Teddy bears for sale!

Kartause Courtyard at night

Now for the scary part - the Krampus!

In case you haven't scene The Office Season 9: Episode 9: Dwight Christmas (we watched it on Netflix last night) lately - then you might want to watch it to get a glimpse of what we're experiencing.  On The Office you'll see them drinking Gluhwein and Dwight dressed as Pelznickel - the dark companion of St. Nicholas.

In Austria, St. Nicholas' companion who punishes the bad children on the eve of St. Nicholas Day is Krampus (he goes by Pelznickel, Knecht Ruprecht, Perchten, Black Peter, etc. in other neighboring countries).  As the tradition goes - Krampus (often intoxicated and bearing torches) punishes naughty children, swatting the with switches and rusty chains.  

Here at the Kartause, the Krampus come to the Market just during certain hours on Saturday nights - and apparently "perform" with lights and smoke before chasing people around with whips.  The students are instructed not to touch the Krampus.  We chose not to take Ellie and Francis to see the Krampus, but I snagged a couple of pictures from the students posing with the Krampus here in the courtyard.

Love at first sight ;)

Scary!!

Now onto - Jolly Old St. Nicholas!

Our neighbors came Christmas caroling tonight and delivered these homemade crafts and goodies for the Eve of St. Nicholas.  The cookies are Hungarian - because the mom is from Hungary - and that's what is so awesome about having neighbors/friends from not just the U.S. and Austria, but all over, so you get to experience many different traditions!

Like most people in Austria tonight, our shoes are left by the fireplace waiting for St. Nicholas!

Wait a minute....it looks like they've already been filled....and like that fire is really going....better go and move them before the Milka chocolate starts melting ;)

Happy St. Nicholas Day!  Happy Advent!!