The Christkind (Christ-child) is Germany's traditional Christmas gift-bringer, an angelic figure with golden hair and a crown, popular especially in Southern and Western Germany, who delivers presents on Christmas Eve, replacing the Catholic saint tradition with a Protestant idea from Martin Luther, evolving into a symbolic, radiant, girl-like figure that opens markets and gives to the needy in places like Nuremberg.
Christkind folklore dates back to the 1500s and stems from traditional customs: parades during the holiday season were guided by one “grand” angel, the Christkind. Since then, and still today, she is the bearer of gifts to most children in German-speaking countries, much like Santa Claus is in the United States.
Weihnachten (German: [ˈvaɪnaxtn̩]) is the observance of what is commonly known in English as Christmas in the German-speaking countries such as Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
The term “Belsnickeling” comes from Belsnickel, a companion figure to Santa Claus in German folklore. Think of Belsnickel as the stern equivalent to the jolly Saint Nick. Belsnickel traditionally dressed in furs (or sometimes rags, depending on the area) and carried a switch (a small wooden whip).
She looks like an angel, while her name, “Christkind,” translates to “Christ child” in German. The Christkind is the bearer of Christmas gifts to most children in German-speaking countries, just as Santa Claus is to children in the United States.
Who Is The Christkind In German Christmas Traditions? - Germany Made Simple
What do German children call Santa?
Santa Claus - Der Weihnachtsmann
The term Weihnachtsmann is a very generic German term for Father Christmas, St. Nicholas, or Santa Claus. The German Weihnachtsmann is a fairly recent Christmas tradition having little if any religious or folkloric background.
The Christkind (German for 'Christ-child'; pronounced [ˈkʁɪstˌkɪnt]), also called Christkindl, is the traditional Christmas gift-bringer in Austria, Switzerland, Slovenia, Southern Germany and Western Germany, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, the eastern part of Belgium, Portugal, Slovakia, ...
Frohe Weihnachten is the classic for Merry Christmas in German. It is short, spot on and easy to learn — even for beginners. Frohe means joyful and Weihnachten of course translates to Christmas. Nothing could describe this magical time of the year with all its treats, decorations and stories better.
Instead, Germans simply talk about der zweite Weihnachtstag or der 26. Dezember, and they mean something much quieter and more reflective than the British Boxing Day.
It was most likely the medieval German tradition of Christmas plays, with an Angel of the Annunciation as the main character, which gave the Christmas Angel its earthly appearance. As angels of all sorts began to be depicted as female and not only male, the Christkind also took on a feminine appearance.
On 25th December (Christmas Day) and 26 December, usually the family gets together for celebrations and also the religious Christians will visit Christmas mass during these days. The German festive season starts at the end of November or early December with the Advent celebrations.
Belsnickel (also known as Belschnickel, Belznickle, Belznickel, Pelznikel, Pelznickel, Bell Sniggle) is a crotchety, fur-clad Christmas gift-bringer figure in the folklore of the Palatinate region of southwestern Germany along the Rhine, the Saarland, and the Odenwald area of Baden-Württemberg.
Quote #1: "Whenever I'm about to do something, I think, 'Would an idiot do that?' And if they would, I do not do that thing." Dwight Schrute was an enormously confident seller.
Much of Germany knows Santa Claus as Der Weihnachtsmann. The depiction is similar to Saint Nick in the US, and he has similar present-giving tendencies. Der Weihnachtsmann isn't the only Santa Claus-like figure in Germany, however.
Unlike in the UK or the USA, where the Christmas holiday period begins on the 25th of December, in Germany, Christmas Eve on the 24th of December is considered the main day for Christmas celebrations. That's when the Christmas tree is put up and decorated and presents are opened.
Once the tree has been decorated on Christmas Eve, the tree remains in the house for the 12 days of Christmas, which ends on January 6. Also known as Epiphany, the day which the wise men were said to visit baby Jesus. However, some Catholic parts of Germany keep their tree up until February 2nd (Candlemas).
Is there a country in the world that does not celebrate Christmas?
Countries in which Christmas is not a formal public holiday include Afghanistan, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bhutan, Cambodia, China (excepting Hong Kong and Macau), the Comoros, Iran, Israel, Japan, Kuwait, Laos, Libya, the Maldives, Mauritania, Mongolia, Morocco, North Korea, Oman, Qatar, the Sahrawi Republic, ...
Since 1969, the Nuremberg Christkind has been chosen every two years by an election process. Young Nuremberg women are invited to apply for this voluntary post. Young Nuremberg girls can apply if they fulfill the following conditions: - They should either have been born in Nuremberg or have lived here for a long time.
Everyone draws a name (or uses an online generator) and secretly buys a small present for that person. Budgets are usually agreed upfront — $10, $20 or $30 — so no one feels outspent or left out. There are two main versions: Traditional Kris Kringle: Each person receives one gift, revealed at the end.
