Christ-child, Father Christmas or Old Man Frost?

Will the Christ-child bring the presents? Or Father Christmas? And what abut Old Man Frost? We'll tell you that and more.

Who brings the Christmas presents?

In Austria and neighboring countries, children believe that the Christ-child brings the presents. However, he is increasingly facing competition. Because more and more children around the world also know Father Christmas. He may now also be called Santa Claus, Weihnachtsmann, Père Noël or Babbo Natale, but they all bring presents. Regardless of whether they squeeze down the chimney into the living room with or without reindeer, with or without a sleigh.

Martin Luther's Saint Nicholas ban

Did you know that the Christ-child is an «invention» of the reformer Martin Luther? He was annoyed by St. Nicholas because he was based on a saint and Protestants don't recognize saints. In many parts of Germany, St. Nicholas' parades were therefore replaced by Christ-child parades. Fortunately, St. Nicholas had already won the hearts of the children and so the holy man was soon back. Now there were suddenly two times presents: on December 6 from St. Nicholas and at Christmas from the Christ-child.

And who is Old Man Frost?

Old Man Frost is a figure like Santa Claus who comes from Slavic mythology. He is the personification of winter and gives presents to children on New Year's Eve together with his granddaughter Snegurotschka (Snow Maiden). At first, the two were only known in Russia, but in the second half of the 19th century they also became popular in other Eastern European countries. Old Man Frost drives a sleigh pulled by grey horses or reindeer and wears a fur coat interwoven with shades of blue.

Where does he live, and how do you bribe him?

According to the Finns, Santa Claus lives in Korvatunturi or Rovaniemi, according to the Swedes in Dalarna and according to the Danes in Greenland. The American Santa Claus lives at the North Pole, although some children's books describe him as living at the South Pole. Old Man Frost lives deep in the taiga. Can you bribe him? You can't bribe a real Santa Claus. But many children want to make him happy. That's why they put out a glass of milk and cookies for him in the USA and Canada; sherry or beer and mince pies in the UK and Australia; rice porridge with sugar and cinnamon in Denmark, Norway and Sweden; and pie and - hiccup! – whiskey in Ireland.