By Gustave Doré, 1832-1883, French printmaker, illustrator, painter, comics artist, caricaturist and sculptor.
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Once again, as is often the case in Europe, everything begins in the Middle Ages.
From the Middle Ages, a market was organized in Strasbourg in anticipation of the feast of Saint Nicholas on December 6. It was to this saint, bishop of Myra in Turkey in the fourth century, that the role of giver of gifts was attributed to the wise children. In the tradition, he was accompanied by Hans Trapp, dispenser of punishments, even spanking, for children who had not been wise during the year.
To allow parents to buy treats and toys for their children, a market, called in Alsatian Klausemärik, Saint Nicholas Market, was then installed a few days before this date.
In 1570, change of course. The city of Strasbourg, which had adopted the Protestant Reformation in 1525, recommended to symbolically entrust this mission to Christ, in the form of the child Jesus, rather than to Saint Nicholas.
Following this decision, the market of the Saint-Nicolas was replaced by that of The child Jesus, named Christkindel in Alsatian dialect, and the delivery of the gifts also changed date to be done on Christmas Eve.
It now takes place every year on the Grande Île, the historic center of the city , near the Strasbourg Cathedral and Place Kléber, during the week before Christmas and lasts until midnight.
It was therefore the Protestant influence that launched this new Strasbourg market before Christmas. She also created this character of the Christkindel, who replaced Saint Bishop Nicholas to enter the homes and bring their gifts to the children.
From now on, the market takes place every year from November 29 to December 31.
The angels in our countryside
Have sung the hymn of heaven,
And the echo of our mountains
Repeat this melodious song
Gloria in excelsis Deo!
Gloria in excelsis Deo!
Moment of joy, moment of hope for all the Christians of the world.
- Latin for “Glory to God in the highest”! – A Christian hymn song on Christmas night, marked by a discreet, restrained joy.
A perfume of “vin chaud de Noël”, Christmas mulled wine, famous in Strasbourg, floats on the “Market of the Christ Child”. Do not forget it, we are in Alsace, another country of Pinot Noir (and Pinot Gris), and other famous grape varieties, such as Sylvaner, Riesling, Gewurztraminer that give excellent wines.
Exporting to attract tourists
With 2 million visitors each year, the Christkindelsmärik, “Market of the Christ Child”) is considered one of the most famous Christmas markets in Europe.
In 1992, the city of Strasbourg proclaimed itself Capital of Christmas and launched an important campaign to promote the event, centered on the attractiveness of the Christmas market. This one is enlarged on the place Broglie itself and other huts are installed on the place of the Cathedral, place of Austerlitz, up to eleven places in the city.
A new role is attributed to the Christkindelsmärik is to be both the major attraction and the pretext for a tourist event that grows each year.
Markets inspired by Strasbourg’s have been set up in other regions of France, and the event has been exported under its label to Tokyo and Moscow. A partnership is underway to organize a Christmas market based on the Strasbourg model in New York, and the tree at Madison Square Garden was decorated in 2014 by Antoinette Pflimlin, who was the regular decorator for the one on Place Kléber for twenty years. The aim of these decentralized Christmas markets is to attract more foreign tourists to Strasbourg every year.
In December 2014, the city of Strasbourg made a free Wi-Fi network available to tourists and Strasbourg residents in five of the city’s squares.
Strasbourg’s Christmas market was crowned “Europe’s Best Christmas Market 2014” by the European Best Destinations organization.
What are you waiting for to go? (Dr. FX)