Krampus Masks: Carved Tradition and How to Choose One

A Krampus mask is the horned demon face worn by Krampus runners in Alpine towns in early December. Traditional masks are hand carved from soft pine, fitted with goat or ram horns and painted. Choose a light latex or foam mask with clear eyeholes to wear, and a carved or resin piece to display.

What traditional Krampus masks look like

Traditional Krampus masks are carved wooden demon faces, and some groups set strict rules for them. SalzburgerLand Tourismus says one traditional group in Rauris carves its own masks, paints them red, white and black, and uses goat or ram horns in a set arrangement with a red fabric tongue. The same page notes that other groups now wear modern, zombie-like masks.

The South Tyrol tourism board describes the most common masks as demon faces carved in wood by expert sculptors. In some areas, it adds, Krampus skips the carved mask and wears a balaclava with a long red tongue instead.

How carvers make a wooden Krampus mask

A wooden Krampus mask starts as a block of soft pine. Fuschlsee Tourismus follows a Faistenau carver who prefers Swiss stone pine for its scent, or Weymouth pine, since both are soft and easy to work. He cuts the rough profile with a chainsaw, sketches the face in pencil, shapes it with a carving knife and mallet, inserts the eyes, attaches the horns and paints it.

The work is slow. Bavaria Tourism reports that one Bavarian carver needs 35 to 40 hours to turn a piece of pine into a new mask, and that he also repairs broken horns and damaged paint on older ones. A carver profiled by Zell am See-Kaprun Tourismus avoids plastic altogether and uses horns and skins from mostly native animals.

How Krampus runners wear their masks

Krampus runners wear the mask as one part of a full costume. The South Tyrol tourism board describes thick furs, chains at the feet and heavy cowbells tied around the waist, loud enough to hear before the runners appear. The Fuschlsee carver says a mask only really comes into its own once the whole Krampus costume is complete.

Krampus runs belong to Advent. SalzburgerLand Tourismus says runs start from the end of November and that Krampus is out only up to December 6, the feast of St. Nicholas. For the wider story of St. Nicholas and his companion, see our guide to Krampus decorations.

Krampus masks versus Perchten masks

Krampus masks and Perchten masks look alike but belong to different nights. SalzburgerLand Tourismus says the Perchten come out after Christmas, in the nights before Epiphany, and can be beautiful or ugly. Fuschlsee Tourismus places them around January 5, driving away winter spirits, while Krampus walks with St. Nicholas.

The masks differ too. Zell am See-Kaprun Tourismus says the ugly Schirchperchten usually wear masks painted only in black, red and white with three pairs of horns, while Krampus is modeled on the devil and varies much more in appearance. A mask with three pairs of horns is likely a Percht, which pairs well with the midwinter theme in our Yule decorations guide.

Choosing a Krampus mask to wear or display

A Krampus mask to wear and one to display call for different priorities. Weight and sight matter on your face; detail and a solid hanging point matter on a wall.

For a mask you plan to wear, safety comes first. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission advises that a mask fit securely with eyeholes large enough to allow full vision, and suggests looking for masks labeled Flame Resistant, though it notes the label does not mean a mask cannot catch fire. For children, the same release suggests makeup in place of a mask that might restrict breathing or obscure vision, so a half mask or a balaclava with a red tongue, like the South Tyrol style, is a lighter option. If you are joining an organized Krampus run, ask the organizer about costume rules first.

For a mask you plan to display, look at the back before buying. A built-in loop or flat mounting plate makes hanging simple, and a small carved piece can sit on a mantel beside other horror Christmas ornaments and figures. Our goth Christmas decor hub shows how a single dark statement piece fits a black and red room.

Caring for and storing a Krampus mask

Caring for a Krampus mask mostly means keeping it out of heat and sun. Store a latex mask in a cool, dark place, stuffed loosely with paper to hold its shape. Wooden and resin masks are sturdier, but horns and paint are the parts that break, as the Bavarian carver’s repair work shows, so wrap the horns before packing a mask away after December. For more presents for a horror fan, see our goth gifts guide.