by Anna from Innsbruck asks Santa about Christmas rose plants, learns about the Tyrolean Alps, and hears about Innsbruck’s Christkindlmarkt and Krampus run traditions
Dear Santa, my name is Anna and I am nine years old. I live in Innsbruck, Austria, where my oma says our mountains rise up so close to the city that you can see snowy peaks practically from the school playground.
Dear Anna, I have admired that exact view myself while flying past, and your oma’s description could not be more accurate.
Santa, I have three questions.
My first question is, do you like Christmas rose plants? My opa grows them in a sheltered corner of our garden, and I always think it is strange that they bloom right through the snow.
I do, Anna, and that stubborn winter blooming has always struck me as rather fitting for the season. A flower brave enough to bloom through snow deserves genuine admiration.
My second question is about our mountains. My teacher says the Tyrolean Alps surround our whole city closely. Is that true?
It is, Anna. Innsbruck sits nestled deep within the Tyrolean Alps, dramatic peaks rising directly around the city on nearly every side. Flying into that steep, snow-covered valley each Christmas Eve requires real skill from the reindeer, though the view always makes it worthwhile.
My third question is about Krampus. Every December, people dress in frightening costumes and run through the streets before the market opens. Why does that happen alongside such a cheerful holiday market?
The Krampus run is a distinctive Alpine tradition, Anna, rooted in old folklore about a fearsome figure who accompanies Saint Nicholas, chasing away bad behavior with dramatic flair, before the town settles into its cheerful Christkindlmarkt festivities. I find the pairing genuinely charming, a little bit of old, dramatic folklore living happily alongside modern holiday cheer.
Merry Christmas, Santa.
Your friend,
Anna Hofer
Innsbruck, Austria
P.S. Have you ever run into Krampus personally?
Once, briefly, Anna. We keep a respectful, professional distance.
