Nightmares before Christmas! Hundreds gather to toast alternative festive traditions during the annual Whitby Krampus Run

• The event, held in Yorkshire, takes place on the closest weekend to the Feast St Nicholas on December 6

Hundreds gathered today for the eighth year of the Whitby Krampus Run (WKR), an annual celebration of alternative Christmas traditions.

The event which is held in Whitby, Yorkshire, takes place on the closest weekend to the Feast St Nicholas, which is December 6.

In tradition, St Nicholas, a fourth century Christian Saint, would hand good children toys and gifts, whilst the Krampus would punish children who have been naughty.

The Krampus are devil-like beasts who carry around sticks to hurt children, and appear just before the festive season to make sure that children behave. 

It is part of Christmas folklore in many central European countries, where the Krampus acts as Santa Claus’s evil counterpart. 

Participants in the annual event will traditionally don a hand-carved wooden mask with animal horns, a suit made from sheep or goat skin and cow bells attached to their waist that make noise as they run, dance and jump around. 

It includes some recognisable traditions, such as making festive cards to pass onto friends and family, and a handful of alternative activities such as sitting on the Krampus throne, snowball fights and a stand-off between a fox and the drummers of the parade, known as the Krampus Krumpettes. 

Many will dress up as the Krampus or carry a model of the Whitby Wyrm,, a dragon-like creature which legend says used to live on the headland by Whitby Abbey. 

The day ends with a fire dance on the docks. 

The event is a charity fundraiser and in the past has benefited St Catherine’s Hospice and Whitby Wildlife Sanctury, according to Hetty & Betty.

Participants dressed as ‘Krampus’, a half-goat, half-demon figure that punish people who misbehave during the Christmas season, in the Whitby Krampus Run (WKR)

Hundreds gathered today for the eighth year of the Whitby Krampus Run (WKR), an annual celebration of alternative Christmas traditions

A participant ahead of the Whitby Krampus Run in Whitby, Yorkshire

The Whitby Krampus Run is a costumed street parade bringing the Krampus to life. Led by St Nicholas, the Krampus, a horned beast who traditionally carries sticks to beat naughty children

In tradition, St Nicholas, a fourth century Christian Saint, would hand good children toys and gifts, whilst the Krampus would punish children who have been naughty 

The Krampus are devil-like beasts who carry around sticks to hurt children

The event is a charity fundraiser and in the past has benefited St Catherine’s Hospice and Whitby Wildlife Sanctury, according to Hetty & Betty

A man dressed up as a the horned beast  Krampus during the celebrations in Whitby

One reveller posing for a picture as she marches through the streets during the Whitby Krampus Run

In tradition, the Krampus is a horned, anthropomorphic figure from Austro-Bavarian Alpine folklore who during the Christmas season punished children who had misbehaved 

A man releases green smoke as participants walk through the streets

The event which is held in Whitby, Yorkshire, takes place on the closest weekend to the Feast St Nicholas, which is December 6

The Krampus are devil-like beasts who carry around sticks to hurt children, and appear just before the festive season to make sure that children behave

The event, now in its ninth year, always attracts a large crowd looking forward to some alternative Christmas traditions 

Participants in the annual event will traditionally don a hand-carved wooden mask with animal horns and a suit made from sheep or goat skin and 

Some participants will traditionally have cow bells attached to their waist that make noise as they run, dance and jump around.

The event at Whitby is the very first to celebrate this folklore character in the UK

The event is a charity fundraiser and in the past has benefited St Catherine’s Hospice and Whitby Wildlife Sanctury, according to Hetty & Betty

A participant of the run is seen parading through the streets with others ahead of the festive season officially starting in the area 

Participants will wear traditional wooden masks as they parade through the streets

People will dress up as the Krampus and parade through the streets, playing drums and shaking bells attached to their costumes 

There is usually a stand-off between a fox and the drummers of the parade, known as the Krampus Krumpettes

horned creature who accompanies Saint Nicholas on his rounds in a centuries long European festive tradition 

The Krampus Run, a costumed event with St. Nicholas’ and his dark counterpart of Krampus

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