St Nikolaus, just like Advent, is a more continental European tradition that is especially celebrated by children.
Saint Nicholas (“Victory of the people”) is the common name for Saint Nicholas of Myra, who had a reputation for secret gift-giving.
The day before Nikolastag (the night of December 5) children put a boot, called Nikolaus-Stiefel, outside the front door. St. Nicholas fills the boot with gifts, and checks up on the children to see if they were good. If they were not, they will have charcoal in their boots instead. For all the children that weren’t good, Knecht Ruprecht threatened to eat or beat them.
I remember waking up on the 6th December as a child and running to the boot first thing in the morning. Great tradition. :)
So with this, Happy Nikolaus, however you may celebrate it. :D
Cat
6 Comments
Isn’t that just Christmas with a twist?
Why is it so much earlier?
It’s not christmas, it’s a lot more low key. It’s just a day based on the Bishop of Myra. Father Christmas was modelled on him, but after all christmas is still the celebration of Jesus Christ’s birthday. ;)
In Poland we don’t have boots or Knecht Ruprecht, we just get the presents, which is good since not everything fits into a boot ;P
Lucky you. We have Knecht Ruprecht, although I think people in Austria are really scared of him. We’re not too bothered. ;)
(Did you just make a comment on my blog? :P )
My fellow on Facebook shared this link with me and I’m not dissapointed that I came here.
Why thank you..
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