Ethan Walker
Saint Nicholas Day, celebrated on December 6, is a feast day for the patron saint of children, sailors, bakers, brides, unmarried women, grooms, sailors, and travelers. Saint Nicholas was a 4th-century bishop of Myra (modern-day Demre, Turkey) who was known for his uncommon concern for the needs of his people. While the day is celebrated by Catholics, particularly in Europe, it is also observed by other Christian communities such as Greek Orthodox and Armenian Christians in Lebanon. The traditions associated with the day include leaving shoes out for Saint Nicholas to fill with treats, community parades, and special meals.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | 6 December |
| Location | Celebrated by Christian communities in Lebanon, the United States, Europe, and other countries |
| Participants | Catholics, Greek Orthodox, Armenian, Dutch Protestants, and other Christian communities |
| Activities | Leaving shoes out for St. Nicholas to fill with gifts, candy, and coins; baking cookies, acts of kindness, community parades, special meals, and parties |
| Symbolism | Saint Nicholas is the patron saint of children, sailors, travellers, bakers, brides, unmarried women, grooms, and those in financial difficulties |
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What You'll Learn
St. Nicholas Day traditions around the world
St. Nicholas Day, celebrated on December 6, is a day filled with joy and fun surprises for children. The day is celebrated by Christians across the world, including the Catholic, Greek Orthodox, and Armenian communities.
In the United States, children are encouraged to participate in acts of kindness to stay off the Krampus' naughty list. They also make gingerbread and sugar cookies. In the Netherlands and Germany, spice cookies and peppermint cookies are made, with the spice cookies shaped like St. Nicholas, complete with a bishop's mitre and staff.
In parts of northern Europe, particularly the Low Countries and some German-speaking areas, St. Nicholas Day is celebrated with children receiving candies, chocolate letters, and small gifts. Children also leave letters for St. Nicholas and carrots or grass for his donkey or horse. In the morning, they find gifts under their pillows or in the shoes, stockings, or plates they set out. Common treats include oranges and chocolate coins, representing St. Nicholas' generosity in rescuing three impoverished girls by paying their marriage dowries with gold.
In Slovakia, St. Nicholas arrives with an angel and a devil, with the devil warning misbehaving children. Children recite poems or sing songs and receive sweets. The night before, they clean their boots and place one boot in the window of their bedroom for St. Nicholas to leave candy and fruit.
In some Catholic regions, St. Nicholas is dressed like a bishop and rides on a horse, welcomed by large crowds in public places.
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How to celebrate St. Nicholas Day
Saint Nicholas, also known as San Nicolás, San Nikola, and San Niklaw, is the patron saint of many places, including Russia, Greece, and the city of Alicante. He is also the patron saint of sailors, bakers, brides, unmarried women, grooms, and children. Saint Nicholas Day is celebrated annually on December 6, with some communities celebrating on the eve of the feast day, December 5. Here are some ways to celebrate Saint Nicholas Day:
Gift-giving
Saint Nicholas is often portrayed as a gift-giver, especially to children. In some traditions, children leave their shoes or boots by the fireplace or outside their bedroom doors the night before Saint Nicholas Day, hoping to find them filled with treats like candy, coins, cookies, and small gifts the next morning. The coins and oranges (or gold) are said to signify Saint Nicholas' generosity, as he once gave gold to three impoverished girls to pay their marriage dowries.
Acts of kindness
Encourage children to perform acts of kindness, emulating Saint Nicholas' great legacy of generosity and love. This can include shovelling an elderly neighbour's walkway or leaving an encouraging note for a classmate.
Food and feasts
In some places, Saint Nicholas Day is celebrated with special meals or parties. Traditional Saint Nicholas cookies are often made, with gingerbread and sugar cookies being popular in the United States, and spice cookies and peppermint cookies in countries like the Netherlands and Germany.
Prayers and stories
Families may display an icon of Saint Nicholas in their homes and offer prayers to him. Reading stories or books about Saint Nicholas is also a way to teach children about his life and deeds.
Community celebrations
Some countries celebrate Saint Nicholas Day with community parades or gatherings. In Mifflinburg, Pennsylvania, for example, a three-day Christmas market inspired by German traditions is held, featuring Saint Nicholas greeting visitors.
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The history of St. Nicholas Day
Saint Nicholas, also known as Nicholas of Myra, was a 4th-century bishop of the ancient Greek city of Myra (modern-day Demre, Turkey). He was known for his uncommon concern for the needs of his people and was recognised as a saint in the 800s. He is the patron saint of Russia and Greece, sailors, children, bakers, brides, unmarried women, grooms, captives, travellers, marriageable maidens, labourers, thieves, murderers, and many cities and regions.
Saint Nicholas Day is celebrated on December 6, the Feast of Saint Nicholas. In some places, the celebrations begin on the eve of Saint Nicholas Day, December 5, when children leave their shoes out in front of the fireplace, on the windowsill, or outside their bedroom doors. In the morning, the children find their shoes filled with treats, small gifts, and fruits. In some cultures, Saint Nicholas is said to arrive on horseback, dressed in a bishop's red robe and mitre, and accompanied by an assistant who may be described as a freed slave or a Moor.
The tradition of leaving shoes out for Saint Nicholas originated from the story of when Saint Nicholas threw bags of dowry money into the home of an impoverished family, rescuing their daughters from being sold into slavery. This act of generosity is also why oranges and chocolate coins are common treats, representing the gold that Saint Nicholas gave away.
In addition to leaving treats for children, Saint Nicholas Day is also celebrated with special meals, parties, and community parades. In the United States, gingerbread and sugar cookies are popular, while in the Netherlands and Germany, spice cookies and peppermint cookies are more common.
While Saint Nicholas Day is not observed nationally in the United States, some cities with strong German influences, such as Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Cincinnati, Ohio, celebrate Saint Nicholas Day on a similar scale to German customs.
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St. Nicholas Day in America
St. Nicholas, also known as San Nicolás, is the patron saint of Russia, Greece, and many cities and groups, including sailors and children. He is celebrated by Christian communities across the world, including Lebanon, Germany, Holland, Belgium, France, and the United States.
In the United States, St. Nicholas Day is not observed nationally, but cities with strong German influences, such as Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, celebrate it on a similar scale to German customs.
St. Nicholas Day is celebrated on December 6th, and it falls during the Advent season. It is an exciting time for children as they anticipate the arrival of Christmas Day. The feast day commemorates St. Nicholas, a 4th-century bishop of Myra (modern-day Demre, Turkey) known for his generosity and concern for his people.
One of the traditions associated with St. Nicholas Day is for children to leave their shoes out overnight in front of the fireplace, on the windowsill, or outside their bedroom doors. The shoes are filled with treats, such as special fruits, candies, chocolate coins, small toys, and other gifts. This tradition stems from the story of St. Nicholas, who threw bags of dowry money through a window or down a chimney to help an impoverished family rescue their daughters from being sold into slavery.
Another way to celebrate St. Nicholas Day in America is to make traditional St. Nicholas cookies. Gingerbread and sugar cookies are popular choices in the United States, while spice cookies and peppermint cookies are common in countries like Germany and the Netherlands. These spice cookies are often shaped like St. Nicholas, complete with a bishop's mitre and staff.
St. Nicholas Day is a reminder of the message of generosity and love embodied by St. Nicholas. While Catholics in America may not have widely celebrated this feast day with their children in the past, more and more American Catholic families are adopting St. Nicholas Day as a special Advent family tradition.
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St. Nicholas Day celebrations in Europe
St. Nicholas Day, celebrated on December 6, is a feast day of St. Nicholas, the 4th-century bishop of Myra. St. Nicholas is the patron saint of Russia, Greece, and many cities, sailors, and children, among other groups. While St. Nicholas Day is a Catholic holiday, it is also celebrated by all Christian communities in Lebanon, including Catholic, Greek Orthodox, and Armenian.
In parts of Northern Europe, such as the Low Countries and some German-speaking areas, St. Nicholas Day is celebrated with gifts and treats for children. In these regions, children leave their shoes out on the night of December 5 and wake up to find them filled with small gifts, coins, candies, and oranges. In some cases, a Nikolaus impersonator visits children at school or at home, asking them if they have been good and handing out presents accordingly.
In Hungary, Croatia, Slovakia, Ukraine, and Romania, children leave their cleaned boots on the windowsill on the evening before St. Nicholas Day. By the next morning, Nikolaus or a similar figure has filled the boots with candies and gifts. In Hungary and Croatia, he is often accompanied by the Krampus, a frightening helper who takes away the "bad" children.
In Serbia, St. Nicholas Day, or Nikoljdan, is celebrated on December 19. As the day falls during the fasting period before Christmas, it is celebrated with fasting and a traditional meal of smoked carp. In Bulgaria, St. Nicholas Day is celebrated on December 6 as Nikulden.
In France, particularly in the region of Lorraine, St. Nicholas Day is celebrated with parades featuring the bishop, his donkey, and Père Fouettard distributing sweets. In some regions, bakers prepare buns in the shape of little men to accompany children's hot chocolate.
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Frequently asked questions
Saint Nicholas was a bishop who was known for his good deeds, especially for the needy and children. He often gave generously and anonymously.
St. Nicholas Day is celebrated on December 6. It is an exciting day for children as they count down the days on their Advent calendars in anticipation of Christmas Day.
Catholics celebrate St. Nicholas Day by leaving shoes out overnight in front of the fireplace, on the windowsill, or outside their bedroom door. St. Nicholas fills the shoes with special fruits, candies, and other small gifts and treats.
