The Alphabet of Christmas, by Benito Cereno and Chuck Knigge, day 3: C is Christkindl, rewarding the nice
The Christkindl, or Christkindel or Christkindlein, is one of the world’s most popular gift-bringers, one of what I think of as the “big five.” This little angel can be found delivering gifts Europe, including the southern and western parts of Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Croatia, parts of Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Portugal, Slovakia, Hungary, parts of France and Poland, and even parts of South America and Louisiana.
Besides the German variations of her name, she might be known as Gesù Bambino (Italian), Menino Jesus (Portuguese), Jézuska (Hungarian), Ježiško (Slovak), Ježíšek (Czech), Niño Dios or Niño Jesús (Spanish), or Isusić or Isusek (Croatian), among others. However, all of these names mean some variation of “the Christ Child” or “Child Jesus” or “little Jesus,” which makes it hard to determine which of these figures are meant to be a little blonde angel, and which are meant to by the actual infant Jesus himself delivering gifts, which, as we will see, is a thing.
Another element complicating this distinction is the fact that children are generally not supposed to see the Christkindl. Children know that the Christkindl has been by when they hear a tinkling of bells from the other room. When they run in, all the Christmas business is all set up. One place you might actually see the Christkindl, though, is at one of the numerous Christkindl markets popular across Germany and Austria (as well as elsewhere in Europe).
Christkindl became popular during the Protestant Reformation, intended as a more Christ-centric alternative to the very Catholic Saint Nicholas. Ironically, these days Christkindl is more popular in Catholic areas. Additionally, in America, German immigrants talking about a gift-bringing Christkindl ended up merely providing a new name for Saint Nicholas: Kris Kringle.
- Comet and Cupid, reindeer
- Celeste, an alligator
- Čert and Anděl, the devil and angel that accompany Saint Nicholas in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Slovenia
- Caspar, a Magus
- Caga Tiò, aka the Tiò de Nadal, the friendly pooping Christmas log