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{{Short description|Christmas gift-bringer}}
{{expand Czech|date=February 2024}}
[[File:Christkind.jpg|thumb|Christkind]]
The {{langnf|de|'''Christkind'''|[[Christ Child|Christ-child]]|paren=left}};
==History==
[[File:Thronendes Jesuskind BNM.jpg|thumb|right|Christkind, [[Munich]], Germany]]
Promulgated by [[Martin Luther]] at the [[Protestant Reformation]] in [[Early modern period|16th–17th-century Europe]], many [[Protestants]] adopted this gift bringer, the Christ Child or ''Christkindl'', and the date of giving gifts changed from [[Saint Nicholas Day|December 6]] to
The Christkind is a sprite-like child, usually depicted with blond hair and [[angel]]ic wings.<ref>Clement A.Miles [https://books.google.com/books?id=1XRjAyL8LogC
Children never see the Christkind in person, and parents tell them that Christkind will not come and bring presents if they are curious and try to spot it. The family enters the living room, where the Christmas tree has been put up, for the opening of presents (the ''Bescherung''), when the parents say that they think that the Christkind who has brought the presents has now left again. In some traditions, the departure is announced by the ringing of a small bell, which the parents pretend to have heard or which is secretly done by one of the adults in the family.
Since the 1990s, the Christkind has faced increasing competition from the [[Santa Claus|Weihnachtsmann]], caused by the use of the American version of [[Santa Claus]] as an advertising figure.{{citation needed|date=December 2011}} Many traditionalist Catholics in recent times have advocated for the tradition of the Christkind as a "beautiful means of restoring the [[true meaning of Christmas]]".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.remnantnewspaper.com/Archives/archive-2005-1215-santa.htm|title=An Advent Reflection: Waiting for the Christ Child|last=Matt|first=Michael J.|publisher=[[The Remnant (newspaper)|The Remnant]]|language=
Christkindl or Christkindel are [[diminutive]] versions of Christkind. Christkind and [[Belsnickel]] are also found among communities of [[Volga German]] descent in Argentina. A well-known figure is the Christkind at the [[Christkindlesmarkt]] in [[Nuremberg]], which is represented by a young woman chosen every two years for this task.
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==Czech Ježíšek==
[[File:Child Jesus of Prague (original statue).jpg|thumb|The statue of the [[Infant Jesus of Prague]], given by Princess [[Polyxena of Lobkowicz]] to the [[Discalced Carmelites]] in 1628]]
'''Ježíšek''' (the [[Baby Jesus]]) is the [[Czech language|Czech-language]] name for the Christkind
The tradition of Ježíšek has been observed by the Czechs for more than 400 years.<ref name="praguepost1">[http://www.praguepost.com/tempo/6911-local-holiday-tradition-is-tested-by-global-forces.html Scott, Thomas. Prague Post.
At present, belief in Ježíšek is upheld in modern Czech society, despite having the lowest rates of religious affiliation in the world.<ref name="praguepost1" />
== ''La Christine'' in Acadiana ==
''La Christine'' (also found in the forms ''La Christiane'' and ''La Crisquine''<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|title=Dictionary of Louisiana French: As Spoken in Cajun, Creole, and American Indian Communities|publisher=University Press of Mississippi|year=2010|isbn=978-1-60473-403-4|location=Jackson|pages=135}}</ref>) is the [[Cajun French]] name for a folkloric figure who traditionally brought "fruits, homemade candies and small gifts" on New Year's Eve.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=C'est Vrai: More on Mother Christmas {{!}} EvangelineToday.com {{!}} Ville Platte Gazette, Mamou Acadian Press, Basile Weekly {{!}} Evangeline Parish, La.|url=https://archive.evangelinetoday.com/columns/c%E2%80%99est-vrai-more-mother-christmas|access-date=2020-12-08|website=archive.evangelinetoday.com}}</ref> The name represents a Gallicized form of "Christkind" and the tradition was most likely brought to the area by German-speaking settlers from Switzerland.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2016-09-14|title=German-Americans|url=https://cls.louisiana.edu/programming-special-projects/louisiana-101/peoples-places/german-americans|access-date=2020-12-08|website=Center for Louisiana Studies|language=en}}</ref> In some families, La Christine would make a visit a week after [[Père Noël|Papa Noël]] brought Christmas gifts and might even be described as "Santa Claus' wife",<ref name=":0" /> while in others "La Christine" was just another name for Santa Claus.<ref name=":1" />
==See also==
* [[Kris Kringle (disambiguation)|Kris Kringle]], an Americanized pronunciation and spelling of Christkindl
* [[Christkindl Markt]], a traditional holiday market in Austria, Switzerland, Germany and Eastern France
* [[List of Christmas and winter gift-bringers by country]]
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==External links==
* {{cite news |first=Mark |last=Landler |date=12 December 2002 |title=Vienna Journal; For Austrians, Ho-Ho-Ho Is No Laughing Matter |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2002/12/12/world/vienna-journal-for-austrians-ho-ho-ho-is-no-laughing-matter.html |work=[[The New York Times]] |
* {{Cite news
| last = Cain
| first = Phil
| title = Austria campaign to save Christkind from Santa Claus
|
| date = 14 December 2009
| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/8405501.stm
|
* [http://praguemonitor.com/2012/12/14/je%C5%BE%C3%AD%C5%A1ek-or-santa-claus Ježíšek or Santa Claus?
{{Christmas}}
{{German folklore}}
{{Authority control}}
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[[Category:Iconography of Jesus]]
[[Category:History of Lutheranism]]
[[Category:
[[Category:Christmas gift-bringers]]
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