Christkind or Weihnachtsmann: Who brings the Christmas Gifts?

When I was a child, I could hardly wait for Christmas Eve. My brothers and I would sit impatiently in the children’s room until we heard the bell ring at last – the sign that Santa Claus had been there. Nowadays, I live in Bavaria, and here, it’s often the Christkind that brings the presents.

But who really delivers the gifts? the Nikolaus, the Christkind, or the Weihnachtsmann?

Christmas Gifts: The Difference Between Germany and Other Countries

What about you? Do you wake up on the morning of December 25th, filled with excitement to see what gifts arrived during the night?

In Germany, things work a bit differently: we’re too impatient to wait that long! The gift-giving usually happens on Christmas Eve, the evening of December 24th.

Especially in families with young children, the festivities often begin in the late afternoon, as soon as it gets dark outside. That’s when either das Christkind or Weihnachtsmann makes an appearance.

Both are said to have helpful assistants – sometimes angels, sometimes elves. But the tradition of Christmas gifts is much older than the Christkind or Santa Claus. In fact, it all started with Saint Nicholas - der Heilige Nikolaus.

Der Nikolaus (Saint Nicholas)

St. Nicholas was the first of the three to deliver gifts.

He lived in the 3rd century and was the Bishop of Myra, a city in what is now Turkey. Later, he was venerated as a saint.

Here you can read more about der Nikolaus und der Nikolaustag am 6. Dezember >>>

As early as the 16th century, it was customary for children to receive small gifts on December 6th, Saint Nicholas’s feast day. These gifts were often simple, like apples or nuts.

A well-known legend tells of Saint Nicholas saving three girls from a terrible fate:

Their father was so poor that he couldn’t afford a dowry for them – something that was essential for marriage at the time. Without a dowry, the girls wouldn’t have been able to marry and would have been forced to earn their living through other means, such as prostitution.

Hearing about the family’s plight, Bishop Nicholas secretly threw three lumps of gold through their window at night. With this, the girls could marry and were saved.

This story explains why Nicholas later delivered gifts in secret during the night while the children were asleep.

Why Did Saint Nicholas Get “Competition”?

In the 16th century, the Reformation changed many traditions. Practices that had been commonplace in the Catholic Church were suddenly questioned – including the veneration of saints.

Martin Luther opposed the veneration of saints, and this included the tradition of Saint Nicholas delivering gifts on December 6th. However, he also recognized how important the anticipation of gifts was to children and adults alike.

Instead of abolishing the tradition altogether, he created a new one: Starting around 1530, it was the “Holy Christ” who brought gifts to his household – on Christmas Eve, the night before Christ’s birthday.

The Evolution of "das Christkind" (Christ Child/ Baby Jesus)

The Christkind we know today is no longer directly associated with the baby Jesus in the manger. Instead, it has become a figure resembling an angel. Every year, it is said to come to Earth on Christmas Eve to place gifts under the Christmas tree.

This idea may have originated from the angels in nativity plays:

These are often little girls with blond curls, wearing long white dresses and a halo. Even today, this is how many people imagine the Christkind.

One famous example is the Christkind of Nuremberg, who opens the annual Christkindlesmarkt.

In southern and western Germany, it is traditionally the Christkind who brings the gifts – ironically, these are the regions with strong Catholic roots.

Der Weihnachtsmann (Father Christmas)

In northern, eastern, and central Germany, however, it’s often Santa Claus who makes an appearance.

His origins also trace back to Saint Nicholas of Myra. In some regions, Saint Nicholas was accompanied on December 6th by Knecht Ruprecht or Krampus. While Saint Nicholas rewarded the good children with gifts, his companion was tasked with punishing the naughty ones.

In the 19th century, the images of Saint Nicholas, Knecht Ruprecht, and Santa Claus began to merge in people’s minds. Over time, this led to the Santa Claus we know today.

The famous song “Morgen kommt der Weihnachtsmann” (“Tomorrow Santa Claus is Coming”) was written in 1835 by the German poet Hoffmann von Fallersleben. It describes the joy of gift-giving – the magical moment when der Weihnachtsmann brings the presents.

In 1862, the cartoonist Thomas Nast, an emigrant from Germany’s Palatinate region, created the first modern depiction of der Weichnachtsmann/ Santa Claus: a chubby man with a long beard, wearing red and white clothes. This character delivered gifts to Union soldiers during the American Civil War.

Later, Coca-Cola adopted this image for its Christmas advertising, making it famous worldwide.

So... Who Brings the Gift?

Who really delivers the gifts remains a mystery. Perhaps we’ll never know.

After all … who would dare to peek through the keyhole?

When I was a child, the Weihnachtsmann brought the gifts - no surprise, since my parents are from northern Germany.

Today, I live with my family in Bavaria, where the Christkind usually takes on the job. We like to think the two must be working together. After all, it’s a huge task to deliver gifts to children all over the world!

And how about you: is Santa Claus coming to your house? Or is it the Weihnachtsmann? Or the Christkind?