St Nicholas does his Austrian rounds on Nikolaustag (6 December). He is jolly, kind, gentle and bearded but always accompanied by a very intimidating mob of hideous Krampus. They are huge, hairy, smelly and horned. They will beat, on request, wayward children with horsehair whips, put them in a big basket and take them away. Our children have been sufficiently terrified into pliable submission and we expect no trouble from them herewith.
