Szőcs Péter Levente (szerk.): Căpleni. Ghid cultural şi istoric (Satu Mare, 2009)
Valori etnografice
(from the German and Austrian territories) - the gift was put in the polished shoes on the window and the old tradition - related to St. Nicholas, the bishop, who brings presents and also reproves childrens misbehavior. In Căpleni, as well as several other settlements, these traditions mingled under the name of crampus fuss. The first was Saint Nicholas who brought a gift at night, secretly, and the second is the person that punishes, namely the pretender of a gift sender. The crampus is a diabolical figure according to tradition, who accompanies Saint Nicholas dressed in his red costume and wears white beard. The crampus shares the gifts and Saint Nicholas asks children about their wisdom over the year. The name of crampus is of Bavarian-Austrian origin, as their faces. The crampus fuss is made by five to six guys. They visit relatives or neighbors with small children. They wear thick long coats, inside out vests, torn clothes, a sock on their faces so they would not be recognized, and they clank chains and shout, make a lot of noise in order to be more frightful. When girls take part in the group, they usually act out Saint Nicholas; they wear either an old bridal dress or a sheet. The group asks out loud at the door: “Is there any bad child? Have you been good?” Then, children are tested if they know how to pray: “Let’s see if you know how to pray?” The correct prayer is awarded by Saint Nicholas with apples, dried fruit, or nuts. The crampuses decide Case din Căpleni Kaplonyi házak Houses from Căpleni 45
