It's a tale as old as time: In December, a generous and jolly fellow visits well-behaved children and rewards them with gifts.
But in some European legends, that man is accompanied by a being known as Krampus, who punishes naughty kids.
"It was a way for German and Austrian parents to maybe threaten their child and say, 'You know, if you're not good, you know, around Christmas time, like then the Krampus is going to come and get you,'" said Tania Yager, the founder of the Dark X-mas Market and the Wild Hunt of Vista taking place Saturday in Vista.
The event includes a procession of Krampuses and other folkloric characters.
Three years ago, Yager decided to organize a dark Christmas market, similar to the ones in Europe.
Different vendors sell their arts and crafts, some with a gothic twist.
"Anything from Christmas ornaments that are really bespoke and have different folkloric characters on them, to things that you might find at a Renaissance fair or a Viking festival. Lots of really unique gifts," she said. "From 4 to 7 p.m., you can come and enjoy whatever the market has to offer. But around 7:15 p.m., that's when things start getting down to the wire and you start hearing bells and lots of noise."
As the night gets darker, Yager said the chiming of bells in the distance means the Wild Hunt is about to begin.
The procession will feature different characters that parade through the market.
"We don't just have Krampuses. We've got things from Welsh culture, German culture, from Eastern European culture, from Italian culture," she said. "Our Krampus wranglers, who are our safety people, actually walk with them. And we have some people who actually hand out little pamphlets that kind of talk about the folkloric characters that you might see along the way."
Yager acknowledged the scenery may not be for everyone, which is why education is incorporated into the event.
"Saint Nicholas was always accompanied by this Krampus character and they kind of go hand in hand... the light part and the dark part. So there's going to be somebody who's a gift giver and a rewarder of well-behaved children. And then there is somebody who is going to be the Punisher or the consequence character," she explained. "It's a very long tradition. First recorded history goes back to the 1600s."
But the imagery can be dark and intense. Yager said its often misunderstood at a time when everything is jolly and bright.
She said celebrating and learning about different cultures is important and a reason she founded the event.
"The Christmas time period and the holiday time period isn't necessarily the same for everybody. Some people really love it and then for some people it brings up lots of different conflicting emotions. And what I found is that... it galvanizes everybody and it brings a lot of people together. And that's what we need, is unification of people," Yager said.
The event is family friendly and offers a learning opportunity for all, but Yager does have some advice for younger visitors.
"Please remember that folks in Germany and Austria and Tyrol are absolutely 100% bringing their children down to processions like this," she said. "But the imagery is intense. And what I want to tell people is that, if you would take your child maybe to a haunted house during Halloween... even just walk them into the Spirit Halloween store, I think this is okay."
Yager hopes the event grows and attracts people from all walks of life, and that includes new participants wanting to be a part of next year's procession. The group meets throughout the year for creative ideas and projects. Anyone is welcome to join.
The Dark Xmas Market starts at 4 p.m. on Saturday in downtown Vista. The Krampus procession begins at 7:15 p.m.
