Krampus Ending Explained: Are The Engel Family Trapped Forever?

It’s been almost a decade since Michael Dougherty’s Christmas horror comedy Krampus was released in 2015. The cult classic starring Toni Collette and Adam Scott brings the tale of Krampus into a modern retelling of the old European folklore. The antithesis of Santa Claus, Krampus is only interested in punishing children (and their loved ones) who have lost the spirit of Christmas. The movie follows Max Engel and his family being picked off one by one over a harrowing and darkly hilarious Christmas Eve where they don’t stand a chance against Krampus and his minions. The bizarre events lead to a bleak yet ambiguous ending for the Engels family.

Max, who once loved Christmas more than anyone in his family, angrily declares his hatred for the holiday after being bullied by school kids and his cousins about his belief in Santa Claus and the Christmas spirit. What follows for the Engel family is a nonstop nightmare that finds the group seemingly trapped forever in Krampus’ underworld lair.

What Happens When Max Confronts Krampus?

After the Engel family has spent hours being attacked by Krampus and his helpers, including vicious gingerbread men, nasty elves, and demonic toys, the remaining family members decide to make a run for it. Max’s father, Tom, leads the group to a snowplow before he, Max’s mother, and Max’s aunt are yanked under the snow by an unseen monster.

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Max finds himself completely alone after his cousin Stevie is taken by Krampus’ sinister elves. Similar to what happened to his grandmother Omi when she was a young girl, Krampus gives Max a bauble as the lone survivor. When Max sees that it is wrapped in part of his torn letter to Santa that Max discarded in anger, he realizes Krampus has been taking his family as a means of punishment. Max lost his faith in Christmas and inadvertently summoned the dark being to his neighborhood.

Refusing to run away, Max chases after them and confronts Krampus in an attempt to save Stevie. He sincerely apologizes for losing the Christmas spirit, and for a moment, Krampus is seemingly moved by Max’s words. Just when Max begins to have an inkling of hope that he may have swayed Krampus, the demon and his crew all laugh before Stevie is tossed into a fiery pit. Krampus picks Max up and drops him into the pit as well.

Was It All Only A Bad Dream?

After plummeting into Hell, Max wakes up in his bedroom on Christmas morning. When he goes downstairs, he finds his parents, sister, and relatives in one piece. They have been waiting for him to wake up so they can begin opening presents. The entire family is in good spirits, and there is zero evidence that Krampus attacked them. Max determines that it all must have been a bad dream – until he opens a special gift, that is. After finding the same bauble Krampus gave Max earlier among the presents, the illusion is broken.

Max slowly begins to realize his nightmare wasn’t simply a dream and that everything that occurred over the past 24 hours really happened. As Max comes to terms with the truth, the entire family appears to be recalling the events with Krampus and his terrifying friends. As the camera pulls back, we then see the Engel family is trapped inside of a snow globe in the underworld.

They are not the only ones Krampus is keeping, however. It’s revealed that there are countless snow globes seemingly imprisoning other families in the creature’s collection where he can observe them.

Are The Engel Family Trapped Forever?

The end of Krampus implies that Max and the rest of his family are trapped forever in their snow globe prison. It doesn’t appear as though anyone else has escaped, and considering the demon’s mercilessness, the possibility of Krampus ever releasing his captives is highly unlikely.

One detail that sets the Engel family apart from the other prisoners is the very special circumstance that Max and his grandmother Omi were both initial survivors of Krampus’ wrath and are now stuck together in one of the monster’s snow globes. Their shared experience and cleverness could potentially lead to an escape if a Krampus sequel is ever made.

For now, though, as the ending indicates, Max and his family are doomed to spend eternity as victims of Krampus and his demonic fiends inside a snow globe tucked away in the monster’s lair.

Krampus is available to stream on Max and Peacock.