'Twas a week before Christmas and several creepy creatures were stirring at the New Ulm Nightmares Christmas Haunted House. Event organizer Dough Hughes lurks behind a haunted tree disguised as an evil elf.

NEW ULM — For one night only, downtown Minnesota Street will experience the scary side of Christmas with a special Yuletide haunted house.

New Ulm Nightmares is presenting “A Krampus Christmas” featuring the Grinch. The event is from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, December 19 at 21 S. Minnesota Street.

New Ulm Nightmares is famous for hosting an annual haunted house around Halloween, but organizer Doug Hughes has decided to try a haunted house for the Christmas season.

“It is to give people a bit of relief and fun during these times,” Hughes said.

This haunted house will operate similar to the one last October. People touring the haunted house will go in with their group only to prevent potential COVID spread. All performers will be wearing masks or will be separated from guests by plexiglass.

This haunted house will be the most unique one put on by New Ulm Nightmares because of the Christmas-theme.

Instead of ghost and goblins, it will be scary nightmare elves and the infamous Christmas demon: Krampus.

Krampus is perfect for a New Ulm holiday haunted house because his origins are Germanic. According to legend, Krampus is said to roam the streets in December in search of naughty children to punish and he carries off the most unruly children to the underworld. Krampus’s appearance changes based on interpretation, but he is often shown as a horned beast.

Hughes said visitors to this haunted house will need to navigate several rooms of Christmas themed horror. Many are designed to look like a traditional home during Christmas, but there will be one room designed to simulate the outdoors complete with an artificial snowstorm.

Hughes wants to keep some of the scares a secret, but visitors will need to get past Krampus and the Grinch before escaping.

This is the first year New Ulm Nightmares has tried a haunted house outside of the Halloween season. If it goes over well, there could be more in the future.

Hughes is excited to try something new with the haunted house. Information about the one-night Krampus Haunted House is up on the New Ulm Nightmares website, including additional information about the Krampus legend.

Hughes’ public response about the haunted house has been positive. He is fielding calls about it from outside of New Ulm. The haunted house could be a new frighting tradition for New Ulm Christmas.