Angel chimes, also known as ''angel-abra'', are a form of Christmas decoration popular in Europe and North America. They apparently have the same origins as the

Christmas pyramid Christmas pyramids (german: Weihnachtspyramide) are Christmas decorations that have their roots in the folklore and customs of the Ore Mountain region of Germany, but which have become popular internationally. They comprise a decorated pyramidal ...

, which functions on the same principle. They differ from these, primarily, in being mass-produced from metal and having bell-ringing angels, whereas Christmas pyramids are usually crafted from wood and do not necessarily have bells.

Function

Angel chimes have

candle A candle is an ignitable wick embedded in wax, or another flammable solid substance such as tallow, that provides light, and in some cases, a fragrance. A candle can also provide heat or a method of keeping time. A person who makes candles i ...

holders at the base which provide heat which turns a

turbine A turbine ( or ) (from the Greek , ''tyrbē'', or Latin ''turbo'', meaning vortex) is a rotary mechanical device that extracts energy from a fluid flow and converts it into useful work. The work produced by a turbine can be used for generating e ...

at the top, which powers a series of trumpet-holding

angel In various theistic religious traditions an angel is a supernatural spiritual being who serves God. Abrahamic religions often depict angels as benevolent celestial intermediaries between God (or Heaven) and humanity. Other roles include ...

figures which "fly" around in a circle, striking bells beneath them. They usually have other decorative motifs, such as the

Star of Bethlehem The Star of Bethlehem, or Christmas Star, appears in the nativity story of the Gospel of Matthew chapter 2 where "wise men from the East" (Magi) are inspired by the star to travel to Jerusalem. There, they meet King Herod of Judea, and ask him: ...

or a creche.

History

The earliest known patent for an angel chime was filed by Walter Stock of the German toy firm Adrian & Stock. The pre-World War II German-made chimes were usually made of tin and featured

lithography Lithography () is a planographic method of printing originally based on the immiscibility of oil and water. The printing is from a stone (lithographic limestone) or a metal plate with a smooth surface. It was invented in 1796 by the German a ...

In Sweden

Christmas angel chimes are popularly known as "''änglaspel''" in

Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...

. After

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, Swedish-made chimes became popular in both Europe and North America. These brought a simpler aesthetic in brass.

In Denmark

They are known as "''Englespil''" in

Denmark ) , song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast") , song_type = National and royal anthem , image_map = EU-Denmark.svg , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Danish Realm, Kingdom of Denmark ...

In Asia

More recently, angel chimes manufactured in

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...

has come to dominate the export market. The design now includes spinning candles.

United States

Angel Chimes USA (ACUSA) distributes The Original Angel Chimes which is manufactured by their manufacturer in Turkey, Aras Metals. ACUSA and Aras metals purchased the Original Molds from the family who first created them in Sweden in 1948.

In popular culture

There are a number of songs written about angel chimes, which include Angel's song, the Christmas Chimes. The sheet music has been compiled at the performing arts encyclopediaAngel's song, The [from] Christmas chimes sheet music at the US Library of Congress
Retrieved 28 June 2013 of the United States Library of Congress up to the present day. ''Ringle-rey, Shoo-hey'' by

Birgit Ridderstedt Birgit Ridderstedt (November 26, 1914 – September 16, 1985) was a Swedish-American folk singer who appeared at festivals and on television in the 1950s and early 1960s with material she produced herself. Background Born in Ludvika, Sweden, ...

also refers to angel chimes. Nina Raine uses Angel Chimes in her play, ''Rabbit''.

References

{{Christmas Christmas decorations Candles