I know Santa Claus is fake but does Krampus really exist?

Cgrill8, I'm Christian though I consider myself what one could call an open-minded Christian. So more to the point, I believe in the supernatural, including the existence of demons and evil spirits (as well as angels of course). (Anyone reading this is welcome to disagree with me just please respect my opinion/belief btw, thanks.) As for Krampus demon, I'm gonna go with there's actually a definite possibility, in my opinion anyway. Now it's scary story time: I swear on my life this is 100% true. I went to see the movie with my friend one night shortly before Christmas. Fast forward 24 hours and it's the next night and I had just opened my bedroom window (I live in Orange County near L.A. County in California by the way though my city [Fullerton] is honestly extremely different from nearby ones in every way) and I wasn't going to sleep yet or anything (my light was even on), I was resting on my bed petting my cat. My mind wasn't on the movie at all at the moment or anything related to it. I live in a very quiet neighborhood where people tend to turn in early so it's absolutely quiet at night and one can hear any tiny thing. Compounding this is that the surrounding area also has many rural aspects, so there are many empty hills very nearby with horse/walking trails from which every night I hear packs of coyotes howling if my window's open. So it was completely quiet outside when suddenly I heard from outside -- no joke --- very nearby to my house very clearly and loudly jingling bells (Christmas ones, like Santa sleigh ones and the ones in this movie) accompanied by lots of chains rattling, EXACTLY like in this movie. It was CREEEPY. I hadn't even given much thought to Krampus existing or not before that. Coming out of the movie the thought just crossed my mind very briefly as 'Oh, I wonder if in Germany they actually believe in Krampus or if they just tell kids that out of tradition.' That was all. After my experience the next night I, like you, started looking it up and found out there have been alleged sightings of Krampus not just in
Germany but even in Orange County where I live (!), at least that's what I read on the website I went to, I exited the page right then 'cause I was too freaked out at the time. Haven't looked it up since then but now I hear from you about even reported pictures 😯. (Those pics might be hoaxes like Bigfoot ones but then you have to wonder what's someone in a Krampus costume doing in the middle of the Alps? Makes you wonder.)

On a different note, that's not to say I won't buy this movie when it's out on DVD. I thought it was great! What a great mix of funny, heartwarming, exciting, suspenseful, really creepy (like those snowmen), and truly terrifying and intense when it wants to be (i.e. the attic scene). Very well-acted, well-executed, and creative. Also I like the sentimental inclusion of a positive Christian message of the true meaning of Christmas; I think this aspect is best summed up by a quote from Donald Duck in a Disney Christmas movie I watched last month -- "It's not what's in the box that matters, it's what's in the heart." Krampus really mixes different tones and genres so it shouldn't work but it actually really does.

I got really off-topic but back to your question, yes, there might indeed exist a Krampus. And I gotta say that makes the movie even scarier, but also more compelling.