Day 6: Nikolaustag

Today is Nikolaustag, the day of Saint Nicholas!

Saint Nicholas of Myra was a Christian Bishop known for miracles and giving gifts secretly, he is also known as the patron of little children and for his generosity. It is said that St Nicholas rides the streets on his donkey (or horse) bearing gifts for all the good kids. On the night of the 5th of December to the 6th, children from all around Germany put a boot outside their door, if they were good children it is said that Nikolaus fills the boot with coins, peanuts, oranges, chocolates, candy and sometimes even tiny gifts. For the naughty children St Nikolaus’s companion Knecht Ruprecht leaves them a piece of wood. It is also a tradition that people gift each other St Nicholas Chocolate figures.

Saint Nicholas is said to have a long white beard, have a read cloak and a red hat. Sounds familiar? It is thought that Saint Nicholas is a big inspiration for the now more known Santa Claus that comes the 24th of December.

Want to get into the Nikolaustag mood? Listen to the song “Lasst uns froh und munter sein”, a children’s song about the arrival of St Nicholas!