Hamburg - Angels are found in various and sundry ways at Christmas - from garishly blinking figures made of plastic to biblically-inspired images dressed in classic garments.
Those who opt for such items as gifts or decorations quickly find themselves dealing with a symbol of devotion into which the New Age scene is blossoming as well.
Juergen Lipp, who has a book store specializing in esoteric articles in Hamburg, likes to surround himself with angels in numerous forms.
'Angels are so beautifully descriptive,' Lipp said. Angels are a favourite symbol for people who want to celebrate Christmas not in a strictly religious sense, rather in a more spiritual way, added Lipp, who for two years has organized an 'angel congress' in Hamburg. The angel-follower scene in Germany has become bigger and bigger over the years.
'That is a response to the church failing to meet people where they are,' said theologian and angel researcher and Uwe Wolff of Bad Salzdetfurth near Hanover. Although fewer and fewer people in Germany are able to warm up to religious content, there is a growing longing for more spirituality.
The cult surrounding angels often has little to do with Christmas in the Christian sense. It touches more on the fringes. For example, rather than heavenly messages from Bethlehem, merchants sell angel Tarot cards and angel crystals. But buyers should beware.
'This is often a pure rip-off,' said Wolff. Angel products are even advertised with promises of salvation. Self-proclaimed angel experts produce healing meditation CDs and promise to arrange conversations with angels.
Buyers also should use caution when including angel-related items among the gifts they are giving.
It can easily backfire, said style consultant Jan Schaumann of Berlin. Such things are not everyone's taste, often especially older people. 'For grandparents such a things can easily become an affront.'
'Many youths might think, 'Wow, what a cool thing,' looking at a gaudy blinking plastic cross, but people who connect more to the cross find such an item perhaps tasteless.'
Protestant minister Hinrich Westphal of Hamburg is critical of the way angels are marketed nowadays.
'It's mostly done to make cash registers ring,' Westphal said. Christian motifs are increasingly dumped into shops in the Christmas season and thereby devalued. 'It often concludes in a shallow orgy of kitsch,' added Westphal, who is head of a Hamburg-based initiative that promotes reflection and contemplation at Christmas.
Many people have become fed up with the gaudy and boisterous nature of the pre-Christmas season and long for a simpler celebration of the birth of Christ. Schaumann said tacky Christmas decorations are detrimental to the contemplative nature of Christmas.
'Many people are pulling away from over-the-top light shows in their apartments,' he said. In order to create a devout atmosphere, the motto 'less is more' is really true.
© 2007 dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur 
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