Historic Main Street
Dec 5 is Krampusnacht
The other side of the season
Santa knows who’s been good. Krampus handles the rest.
Krampus on Main is a portrait session with the horned, chain-rattling companion of St. Nicholas, in St. Charles, Missouri. From Strupp, LLC, the photographers behind Santa on Main.
Who
Who is Krampus?
In the Alpine villages of Austria, Bavaria and northern Italy, St. Nicholas doesn’t make his rounds alone. The night before his feast day, Krampus comes through town first: horns, fur, a basket on his back and a bundle of birch switches, with bells and chains to announce him.
The idea is centuries old. Nicholas rewards the good children. Krampus reminds the rest what the alternative looks like. Towns still hold a Krampuslauf, a Krampus run, where costumed figures parade through the streets on December 5, Krampusnacht.
He has crossed the Atlantic. Krampus nights and parades have become a December fixture in American cities, including St. Louis, for people who like their holidays with a little edge. Krampus on Main brings that to historic Main Street in St. Charles, Missouri.
The session
What to expect
The same quick, well-lit portrait as a Santa visit, with a very different host.
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Meet Krampus
He is in full costume and in character: towering, horned and not especially friendly. Fair warning for the littlest ones. Older kids, teenagers and grown-ups tend to love him.
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Pick your pose
Terrified, delighted, defiant or deadpan. Being hauled off in the basket is a favorite. Props and the switches are his, the expression is yours.
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Take home the evidence
You’ll see the portraits right away and choose what you want. Prints and digital files are both available, and the Strupp print release lets you print them anywhere.
Dates and bookings
Ask about a Krampus session
Dates are announced each season. Send a note through the Strupp, LLC contact form and we’ll reply by email with what’s planned, and whether a private session for your group is possible.
Behind the camera
Strupp, LLC
Krampus on Main is photographed by Strupp, LLC, the St. Louis-area studio that has taken the Santa portraits at St. Charles Christmas Traditions for more than 15 years. Same photographers, same care with the light. Different guest of honor.