Christkind

The Christ child is primarily in Austria, South Tyrol, Switzerland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, southern Brazil, in Catholic regions of Germany as well as in the region spread to Nuremberg symbol of Christmas. The story according to the Christ Child comes at Christmas and brings, without being seen, the Christmas gifts. It is often depicted as curly blond kid with wings and halo. Colloquially, the Christ child is often equated with the Christ Child, the presentation of the newborn Christ.

History

The relationship between Christ child, Nicholas and Santa Claus as the bringer of gifts is complex and developed regional variations.

In the Middle Ages the children received presents on St. Nicholas Day (December 6 ) or on the day of the Holy Innocents (December 28 ); the presents on Christmas Eve or on Christmas Day, as is common today, it did not yet exist. However, the Protestants rejected the Roman Catholic form of worship of saints - and thus the worship of St. Nicholas - from. Therefore, replaced with high probability Martin Luther in the 16th century Saint Nicholas by the "Holy Christ ," and transferred the bestowal on the 25th of December. Elsewhere - as in the Reformed Switzerland - found the mess to the 19th century, held on New Year's Day. With "Holy Christ" Jesus Christ was meant, but not in the personification of the newborn infant Jesus. Over the years, the term " Christ Child " and the idea as angelic appearance developed. The Christ child became independent more and the connection to Jesus Christ became more and more unclear. In the Reformed Switzerland it was - according to the valid here ( earlier) Bescherungstag - because New Year's baby. The angelic representation has its origin probably in Christmas parade customs and nativity plays, which often have a host of angels led by a " Christ Child ". The Christkind spread first in Protestant Germany. Later, the custom spread to the Rhineland, then together with Advent and Christmas tree in Bavaria and Austria.

This line of development but was crossed by two counter -running: on the one hand, the Christ Child in North and in parts of Central Germany to the Protestants became more and more detached from Santa Claus, on the other hand, displaced the Christ Child in Switzerland, more and more previously here, both Catholic and Protestant Nicholas ( Chlaus ). So it was not only in the Catholic, but also in parts of the Reformed Switzerland in the 18th and 19th century rather than the Lutheran or Catholic Christian child, but the Chlaus (ie Nicholas), who in the days around Christmas or New Year's gifts brought. Even at the end of the 19th century the Christ child in some places was seen as a Catholic or as an import from the Catholic South Germany in the Reformed Switzerland. In the 20th century, St. Nicholas, however, was also ousted from the Christ Child. Thus we find today the situation that the Christ Child mainly on the one hand in a majority Catholic areas such as Austria, Bavaria, the Catholic parts of Baden -Württemberg and the Rhineland, on the other hand also in the traditionally Protestant regions of Franconia, Baden- Wurttemberg, the Palatinate and Hesse and is used in German Switzerland at all.

Since the middle of the 20th century next to the Christ Child and Santa Claus increasingly Santa Claus in film, television and encountered in Christmas decoration, probably mainly as a result of the growing U.S. influence.

Today's meaning

The Christ child is today, like Santa Claus or Saint Nicholas, a symbol of the Christmas gift giving. Adults tell their children that it is generally unseen on Christmas Eve or in some regions on the night of December 25 is in the houses and Christmas brings. Previously often came an angelic Christkind Actress for gifts in the family and in some places there is this tradition even today. In recent years, the Christ Child was used for promotional purposes more and more, especially often than girls with blond hair and blue eyes.

Children post to the Christ Child

Send Many children in the run up to Christmas letters with wishes to the Christ Child. These are collected particularly in Upper Austria's Christkindlmarkt, a Steyr district since 1950 and mostly answered. This Christkindl post office is open each year and provides the letters that are sent on a special cancellation. Per year receive about two million shipments this stamp.

In Germany letters are addressed to the Christ child to one of the Christmas post offices of Deutsche Post AG.

In Switzerland, Swiss Post is answered in the Santa Claus campaign every year more than 17,000 children letters which were sent to the Christ Child or Nicholas.

Nuremberg Christmas Angel

On the occasion of the Nuremberg Christmas market there every year since 1933 a Christian child who was until 1968 performed by actors. Since 1969, every two years, a young woman from the city, which must be at least sixteen years old, was elected to the Christ Child. In this costume opened the Christmas market in the city and then travels through Franconia to visit Christmas and Advent events. In the Nuremberg costume illustration, the Christ child is a young woman with curly blond hair, a crown and a white-golden angelic dress. The Nuremberg Christmas Angel opens up the Christmas Market in Chicago.

Other meanings

Colloquially referred to as a Christian people also children who have birthday on December 24. In parts of the " distribution area " of the Christ Child, the Christmas gifts are referred to as such.