Krampus, helper to St. Nicholas

Young and old devils parade across the village the night before St. Nicholas' Day or on St Nicholas' Day (December 5 or 6). Today this parade is rather amusing than scaring, as it usually was in the past. Once upon a time these devils were used as an educational method by means of which people tried to discipline particularly children.

The inhabitants of Naturno have founded their own Krampus Association in 2007. Furthermore there are several other associations in the surroundings, e.g. the "Pfoffagonder Tuifl" from Castelbello in the Val Venosta valley or the "Niederjoch Tuifl" from the Val Senales valley. In some places, the Krampus associations also invite visitors to exhibitions of their masks and costumes which are handmade in lots of hours.

In villages which don't have a 'Krampus' association, usually male adolescents dress up and daub their faces with soot, before they walk through the streets and alleys and are up to mischief. They can be heard from afar thanks to their loud bells and chains.