Nikolaus brings joy: animals get loving gifts!

Nikolaus brings joy: animals get loving gifts!

On the first weekend in Advent, the animal protection center Pfotenhilfe experienced an unforgettable visit in Lochen in Upper Austrian. A red -dressed man with a noise beard, the Nicholas, brought a large sack full of animal -friendly treats for the furry residents of the farm. While he gave the dogs with veggie-kauohren and toys, he addressed warning words to the bipeds: "Animals are not everyday objects that can simply be given away," emphasized the saint and appealed to avoid pets under the Christmas tree in order to promote responsibly. The call was no coincidence, because bitch "Rudolfine" urgently needs twice operations due to human cruelty so that she can lead a normal life again. Here you can find the Donation page .

Krampus and Nikolaus in Tirol

parallel to these joyful events, the eerie Krampstruppe appears in Tyrol on December 5. The dark figure of the Krampus, accompanying Nicholas, comes from old traditions and is supposed to remind naughty children. While St. Nikolaus distributes gifts to the good children, Krampus causes the punishment of one who were not good a year. The combination of Saint Nicholas and the Krampus is deeply rooted in the Tyrolean folklore. The Krampus, a fearsome figure with horns and a long tongue, embodies evil while Nikolaus appears as a kind. These two figures show the duality of good and evil and strongly shape the Advent season in the region, since they stand not only for gifts and joy, but also for threats and deterrence. The traditional parades, known as Krampus runs, take place in the streets and villages, in which the Krampus and Nikolo groups run through the night with a lot of noise and horror scenarios. For more information about these traditions and its origins in Tyrol, read the article on