Catholic Day of St. Nicholas

This is the first sign of Christmas approaching.St. Nicholas Day is the first sign of Christmas. It has been celebrated in Germany since 1555.

Old church records say: “Before St. Nicholas Day, mothers hold gifts and rods ready for their children.”

In ancient times, St. Nicholas gave children nuts, dried fruits and sweet bread, baked according to a special recipe with the addition of dried pears, clothes and other things necessary for daily life.

Also today, on the night of December 5-6, German children put polished shoes or boots outside the door, so that a saint passing by put apples, tangerines, nuts, sweets there.

True, delicious gifts St. Nicholas brings only obedient children, and those who have been angry with their parents for a year and did not obey, will receive a gift of rods.
Who among the children was obedient and who was not, reads Nikolaus in his special “golden book”.

An old German children's song says:
“Saint Nikolaus, give me what you wish,
Apples, nuts, almonds are willingly eaten by small children.