Villagers dress up as "Krampus" in Haiming, in the Austrian region of Tyrol on Dec. 1. According to local custom the figure is the antipode to St. Nicholas, punishing children's misbehavior rather than rewarding good deeds. Gruesomely carved wooden masks, animal pelts and cow bells worn around the waist complete the look. Traditionally, Krampus was only seen once a year -- for parades on the eve of St. Nicholas Day on Dec. 5. But recent decades have seen surging interest in Krampus and nowadays parades are organized throughout late November and early December.