Presents and fear at Christmas play - 14th December 2022

6th December is a special day in parts of Europe. It's Saint Nicholas Day. St Nicholas brings presents for good children. But naughty children don't receive nice presents. They get a piece of wood.

In Bad Mitterndorf in Austria, there's a big play. Local people watch or act in the play.

Some men dress as 'Krampus'. They wear black clothes. They put masks on their faces. They make the children frightened.

Daniela Puercher always watches.

Daniela Puercher: 'For those who are attending for the first time, it's definitely chilling. It's dark, there's electricity in the air. The atmosphere is special. You hear the bells ringing and then the characters appear. Even with the experience, you are still impressed.'

'The children, of course they are afraid, especially those who have not been good during the year.'

130 actors walk through the town. At the start, there are 12 strange figures. At every stop, Saint Nicholas speaks to the children. He asks them questions about the Church. Saint Nicholas gives sweets for right answers. But if the children are wrong, Krampus takes them away.

The play's a tradition here. It's 150 years old and it's now a UNESCO event.

Martin Rainer organises it. He thinks it will continue for a long time.

Martin Rainer: 'We in the region are very proud that we have managed to keep this tradition in its original form for all these decades. And we are convinced that with the demand we are already receiving, the next generation will be able to take over without any problems in the coming decades.'