It's that wonderfully eerie time of the year again in Las Cruces, where the holiday cheer is mixed with a dash of horror. The Las Cruces Public Libraries are bringing back the "Krampus Recommends Movie Marathon" for its second annual run, promising a lineup of films that blend dark comedy with the scares that only the holiday season can bring when peppered with a hint of the macabre. For those brave enough to join, the festivities kick off at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 30, at the Thomas Branigan Memorial Library. This spine-tingling marathon is a nod to the yuletide lore of Santa's misunderstood European counterpart, Krampus, and it's as free as finding coal in your stocking.
For aficionados of genre-bending, the program starts with pledges fighting for survival in a Yuletide nightmare at 10:30 a.m., transitions into a cinematic encounter with the Krampus itself by early afternoon, and continues with a con artist Santa and a thief turned unwilling family arbitrator. With ratings ranging from PG-13 to R, parents should probably leave the young ones at home with a more traditional Christmas story, lest they want to answer awkward questions about why Santa's pal is not quite so jolly. According to the City of Las Cruces, attendees can bring light snacks, because nothing says holiday spirit like popcorn and a side of existential dread.
The library's Roadrunner Room will be the arena for this sinister celebration of seasonal cinema, which is conveniently located on Roadrunner Transit Route 1 for those wanting to avoid the hassle of parking. While the event does not cost a dime, it's an opportunity for the community to grasp the darker side of the holiday spectrum at a safe distance, of course. The shared experience of communal fright and laughter is a unique holiday memory in the making.
