.JPG) Saint Nicholas inPrague | |
| Creature information | |
|---|---|
| Other name(s) | Nikolaus, Svatý Mikuláš, Mikulás, Samichlaus, Sveti Nikola, Saint Nicolas, Święty Mikołaj, Moș Nicolae, Sinterklaas, Svätý Mikuláš, Sveti Miklavž, Sviatyi Mykolai |
| Similar entities | Sinterklaas,Ded Moroz,Ayaz Ata,Christkind,Santa Claus,Father Christmas |
| Folklore | Christian,European |
| Origin | |
| Country | Germany,Poland,Czech Republic,Slovakia,Ukraine,Romania,Hungary,Austria,Switzerland,Liechtenstein,Croatia,Slovenia,Netherlands,Luxembourg,Belgium,France |
| Region | Benelux,Central Europe,Pannonian Plain,Balkans,Eastern Europe,Southern Germany |
| Habitat | Anatolia,Spain |
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Saint Nicholas is a legendary figure inEuropean folklore based on theGreekearly Christian bishopNicholas of Myra, patron saint of children.
OnSaint Nicholas Day, children wait for Saint Nicholas to come and put a present under their pillow or in a boot on their windowsill, provided that the children were good during the year. Children who behaved badly may expect to find a twig or a piece of coal under their pillows. In theNetherlands (seeSinterklaas), Dutch children put out a shoe filled with hay and a carrot for Saint Nicholas' horse.[1][2]
It is believed that Saint Nicholas arrives to celebrate his day,December 6 (December 19 according to theJulian calendar) orNovember 11 in Belgium, and leaves beforeChristmas. This tradition is well known and celebrated inAustria (Austrian German: Nikolo),Belgium,Croatia (Croatian:Sveti Nikola), theCzech Republic (Czech:Svatý Mikuláš), north-eastFrance (French:Saint Nicolas), western and southernGermany (German:Sankt Nikolaus),Switzerland (Swiss German: Samichlaus),Hungary (Hungarian:Mikulás),Luxembourg, theNetherlands (Dutch:Sinterklaas),Poland (Polish:Święty Mikołaj),Romania (Romanian:Moș Nicolae),Serbia (Serbian:Свети Никола,Sveti Nikola),Slovakia (Slovak:Svätý Mikuláš),Slovenia (Slovene:Sveti Miklavž), andUkraine (Ukrainian:Святий Миколай,Sviatyi Mykolai).
In Austria, Czechia, southern Germany, Hungary, Slovenia, Slovakia, Romania and Ukraine, Saint Nicholas often comes with two assistants (seecompanions of Saint Nicholas): a goodangel who gives out presents to good children and a devil or a half-goat, half-demon monster in some legends[3] (Krampus orKnecht Ruprecht in Austria and Germany). The latter scares bad children into being good.[4][5]
On Saint Nicholas Day, they come to the houses where small children live and give them some presents or leave them in shoes that have been left out overnight. While nice children receive various fruits, candies and toys, naughty children can expect nothing more than a wooden switch, several pieces of coal or a carrot or potatoes left by a devil.
Treats are traditionallysweets,chocolate,candy and differentnuts, orszaloncukor in Hungary, Romania, and Slovakia. In modern times, chocolate Saint Nicholas figures are most common. In Austria, Hungary and Romania, to get the presents, the boots must be polished, because Saint Nicholas does not fill boots that are not shiny enough.
Although presents are usually given to children by parents, it is not uncommon in some countries for adults to place small surprises into the boots of other adults or to hand them a small wrapped present that day.[6] In Hungary, this tradition is known asmegajándékoz valakit valamivel: “gift somebody with something”.[7]
The virgács is aswitch resembling a small broom, made with twigs or branches from a bush or willow tree, often painted gold. They are sold on the streets in Hungary before Saint Nicholas Day.[8]
