Lyla Lindsey
In Austria, the Christkind or Christ Child is the benevolent gift-bringer, not Santa Claus. Portrayals of the Christkind commonly feature a young child dressed in brilliant white or gold. The Christkind character that often accompanies seasonal markets or Christmas events tends to be a young woman with long blonde hair and clothed in white and gold. Santa Claus, or Father Christmas, is a more flexible, non-religious Christmas brand used in marketing and advertising.
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What You'll Learn
Christkind, the gift-bringer
In predominantly Catholic Austria, the Christkind (or Christ Child) is the benevolent gift-bringer at Christmas. The Christkind is usually depicted as a young child or woman with long, curly blonde hair, dressed in white and gold. The imagery of the Christkind is derived from baby Jesus Christ and comes from the Protestant tradition that Jesus, instead of a mythological creature like Santa, brings presents on Christmas.
The Christkind is said to leave presents for good children on Christmas Eve, much like her more famous counterpart, Santa Claus. In books and paintings, the Christkind is often pictured as a child with blonde hair, wings, and a halo. Some Austrian families open the window on the evening of December 24, so the Christkind can come in. Children waiting outside listen for a bell, which is the sign that they can enter the room and open their gifts.
The Christkind is also featured in the names of some Christmas markets, like the famous Christkindlmarkt in front of Vienna's city hall. The character of the Christkind that often accompanies seasonal markets or Christmas events is usually a young woman with long blonde hair, clothed in white and gold.
In recent years, there has been a cultural debate in Austria about who should be pitched as the bringer of gifts—the Christkind or Santa Claus. Santa Claus has become more popular in marketing and advertising due to his non-religious and flexible brand. However, the Christkind remains an important part of Austrian Christmas traditions, especially in Lutheran families.
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Krampus, Santa's 'evil twin'
In Austria, Santa Claus is not the mythical being who brings gifts to children on Christmas. Instead, that role is fulfilled by the Christkind, or "Christ Child", who is usually portrayed as a young child or woman with long, blonde hair and dressed in white and gold. Santa Claus, however, does have an "evil twin" in Austrian folklore by the name of Krampus.
Krampus is a beast-like, demonic creature and the anti-Saint Nicholas, introduced in the 16th and 17th centuries as the evil counterpart to the saint. According to legend, Krampus accompanies Saint Nicholas on his rounds on December 5 or 6, visiting homes and asking children if they have been naughty or nice. Saint Nicholas rewards good children with treats and sweets, while Krampus captures the naughty ones in his sack, beats them, and drags them off to hell.
Krampus is often depicted as having devil-like horns, fake fangs, red eyes or contacts, and hooved shoes, with a furry suit and a belt made of cowbells. In the state of Tyrol, particularly in Innsbruck and Salzburg, Krampus parades are held on St. Nicholas Eve, where young people dress up as Krampus, donning fur suits, wooden masks, and cowbell belts, and ride chariots that are set alight, creating a terrifying spectacle.
The tradition of Krampus is believed to have originated in the Middle Ages as a Krampuslauf, or Krampus run, where people would dress up as the demon and chase children down the street in a menacing manner, threatening to beat them if they had misbehaved. While the parades are now a popular attraction, they can still be alarming to unsuspecting bystanders, as masked actors dressed as Krampus and his army of elves descend upon the crowd, brandishing whips and brooms.
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St. Nicholas, the children's saint
St. Nicholas, the special children's saint, is honoured throughout Austria. It is said that God rewarded St. Nicholas' generosity by allowing him to return to earth each year to bring gifts to all the good children. St. Nicholas comes on his feast day, a holiday separate from Christmas. In some places, he comes on St. Nicholas Eve, 5 December, and in others on the day itself, 6 December.
St. Nicholas is dressed as a bishop, with flowing robes and a miter. He carries a big book and a bishop's crozier. During the year, angels, who sometimes accompany him, write children's good and bad deeds in this book. When children promise to be good and study hard, St. Nicholas rewards them with treats. He may come alone or with angel helpers and/or a Krampus.
Krampus is a strange and frightening creature, an anti-St. Nicholas. Introduced in the 16th and 17th centuries, Krampus is an evil counterpart to St. Nicholas. Krampus captures naughty children and either beats them or takes them to hell. In modern times, Krampus parades have become popular on 5 December, where people dress up as Krampus and roam the town, making a lot of noise and scaring spectators.
In Austria, children don't believe in Santa Claus but in the Christkind (Christ Child) who delivers presents to children. The Christkind is usually depicted as a young child with blonde hair and dressed in white or gold.
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Santa Claus in marketing
In Austria, Christmas is celebrated with many traditions and customs. Austrian children, however, do not believe in Santa Claus but in the Christkind (Christ Child) who delivers presents to children all over the world. The Christkind is usually depicted as a young child or a young woman with long blonde hair and dressed in white and gold. The imagery of the Christkind does not lend itself easily to modern commercialism or marketing and advertising requirements.
Santa Claus, on the other hand, is a flexible, non-religious Christmas brand that can be used in marketing and advertising. Companies in Austria have started using Santa Claus in their Christmas marketing materials, boosted in part by non-religious groups. This has led to a cultural debate about who should be pitched as the bringer of gifts in Austria. Marketers seem to have shifted to more neutral imagery for advertising and packaging, such as snowmen, reindeer, and bells.
In Austrian Christmas markets, St. Nicholas Day is celebrated on December 5th or 6th. St. Nicholas is dressed as a bishop with flowing robes and a miter, and he carries a big book and a bishop's crozier. He is accompanied by Krampus, his beast-like helper who punishes naughty children. Krampus is a strange and frightening creature with a mask, devil-like horns, fake fangs, red contacts, shoes resembling hooves, and a furry suit. He carries a belt made of cowbells and a sack to capture naughty children.
The debate over whether to use Santa Claus or the Christkind in marketing and advertising in Austria is an interesting one. On the one hand, the Christkind is more traditional and culturally appropriate for the country, but on the other hand, Santa Claus is more flexible and non-religious, which may be more appealing to a wider audience. Ultimately, the decision may come down to the target audience and the specific message or brand that the company is trying to promote.
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Santa Claus in popular culture
In Austria, Christmas is celebrated with many unique customs and traditions. Austrians do not believe in Santa Claus, but in the Christkind (Christ Child) who delivers presents to children. Portrayals of the Christkind commonly feature a young child dressed in brilliant white or gold, with long, curly blonde hair, and sometimes wings and a halo. The Christkind character is derived from the Protestant tradition that Jesus, instead of a mythological creature like Santa Claus or Father Frost, leaves presents on Christmas.
The Christkind is also associated with Christmas markets or Christkindlmarkts, which are popular in Austria. The markets are filled with stalls selling traditional Austrian savoury dishes and desserts, as well as comforting drinks like mulled wine. The biggest Christkindlmarkt in Austria is held in front of Vienna's city hall.
While the Christkind is the traditional gift-giver in Austria, Santa Claus has also made his way into Austrian popular culture through marketing and advertising. Companies have started using Santa Claus in their Christmas marketing materials, which has led to a cultural debate about who should be pitched as the bringer of gifts in Austria.
Another figure associated with Christmas in Austria is St. Nicholas, who visits children on December 5th or 6th. St. Nicholas is dressed as a bishop with flowing robes and a miter, and carries a big book and a bishop's crozier. He is accompanied by Krampus, a beast-like or demonic helper who punishes naughty children. Krampus parades have become popular in Austria, particularly in the state of Tyrol, where people dress up as Krampus and roam the town, making a lot of noise and scaring spectators.
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Frequently asked questions
Santa Claus is not traditional in Austria. Instead, the Christkind (or Christ Child) brings gifts. The Christkind is usually depicted as a young child or woman with long blonde hair and dressed in white and gold.
St. Nicholas is honoured in Austria. He comes on December 5 or 6, and is dressed as a bishop with flowing robes and a miter. He carries a big book and a bishop's crozier.
Krampus is the evil counterpart to St. Nicholas. He is a strange and frightening creature with devil-like horns, fake fangs, red eyes, and cowbells. He captures naughty children and either beats them or takes them to hell.
Companies in Austria have started using Santa Claus in their Christmas marketing materials, but this has led to a cultural debate about who should be pitched as the bringer of gifts.
The jolly, bearded Santa Claus that Americans know from movies is not the traditional gift-bringer in Austria.
