Weihnachten customs held upon returning from church leading to the gift giving vary across the German-speaking countries. One of the most common situations sees the returning children wait to enter into their (locked) living room until a little bell rings. This bell marks the departure of the one delivering gifts. In the more Catholic regions - primarily South Germany and Switzerland - this is considered the Christ Child ("Christkind"), while those in North Germany commonly consider it to be the "Weihnachtsmann" (Saint Nicholas or Santa Claus) who is exiting. The children then enter to see the decorated Weihnachtsbaum (Christmas tree), with
Judith Tannenbaum Judith Tannenbaum Judith Tannenbaum (born February 13, 1947) is an American teaching artist and writer. Born in Chicago and raised in Los Angeles, she has worked in the field of community-based arts, sharing poetry in a wide variety of settings from primary school classrooms to maximum security prisons. She has received grants from the California Arts Council and has written for journals including "PMLA" and "Teaching Artist Journal". Among Tannenbaum’s books are the memoir, "Disguised as a Poem: My Years Teaching Poetry at San Quentin" (Northeastern University Press, 2000) -- a finalist in PEN American Center USA West’s Literary Award