2nd Week of Advent

I think we have an especially pretty Advent wreath this year.  Last night was the 2nd Sunday of Advent so we got to light the 2nd candle.  
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And today is the Eve of St. Nicholas's feast.  I have my son's little bag all ready for when he gets back home from school.  It is filled with the traditional treats of peanuts, oranges and chocolates.  Usually people put figs in there too, but he does not eat those so I didn't buy any.

See that smaller chocolate in the front - it is a devilish figure known as Krampus that comes with St. Nicholas.  Good and evil - they are a pair, you know?  If you are a good child you get the treats, if you are bad, you get hit by Krampus with his switch.  He is a very scary figure with big horns, wears animal skins and is usually dripping with blood.  Last week was the Krampus parade.

The parade goes on and on with so many different Krampuses, all making tons of noise, some pulling fire pits, some lighting off fireworks and smoke bombs.  Scary stuff!  But the children stoically endure the Krampus parade to see their beloved St. Nicholas...

And that is my take on St. Nicholas Day and Krampus from Austria!