Saint Nicholas

From bishop to folklore

Saint Nicholas is a character in European folklore. He is modelled on Nicholas of Myra, a bishop of the early Greek church who is called the patron saint of children. People in many languages have their own name for him: Svatý Mikuláš in Czech, Mikulás in Hungarian, Samichlaus in Swiss German, Sveti Nikola in Serbian, Święty Mikołaj in Polish, Moș Nicolae in Romanian, Sinterklaas in Dutch and Sviatyi Mykolai in Ukrainian, among others. The day that carries his name is a feast kept in winter, and the customs around it differ from one country to the next.

The evening before

On the eve of his day, children wait for Saint Nicholas to visit. The story says he comes to the homes where small children live and leaves something for each of them. A child who was good through the year can hope to find a gift, and children in the Netherlands and Luxembourg put out a shoe with hay and a carrot for his horse. A child who was not good may find only a twig or a lump of coal instead. Treats may be placed where the children will see them in the morning, or handed over in person.

Companions and warnings

In some countries Saint Nicholas does not travel alone. Stories told in Austria, Hungary, Slovakia, Romania and Ukraine, and in the south of Germany and in Czechia, give him two helpers. One is a good angel who hands out presents to children who behaved well. The other is a frightening companion. In some tellings he is a devil, in others a monster that is part goat and part demon, and he is known as Krampus in Austria and in Germany, where the name Knecht Ruprecht is also used. His part is to warn children, and in some versions he leaves a wooden switch, coal, a carrot or potatoes.

Sweets and small gifts

The treats given on the day are mostly sweet. Families prepare chocolate, candy, nuts and fruit, and in Hungary, Romania and Slovakia a wrapped sweet called szaloncukor belongs to the custom. Today chocolate figures of the saint are the most common gift. In Austria, Hungary and Romania the boots have to be polished first, because the saying goes that Saint Nicholas will not fill a boot that is not shiny. Grown-ups sometimes join in, leaving a small surprise in another adult's boot or handing over a little wrapped gift. In Hungary this practice has its own name, megajándékoz valakit valamivel.

The switch called virgács

A virgács is a small switch that looks like a little broom. It is made from twigs or from branches of a bush or a willow tree, and it is often painted gold. In Hungary sellers offer them on the streets in the days before Saint Nicholas comes. The switch is the gift a child would rather not receive. It stands for the warning that a child who misbehaved will be reminded to do better. The figure is also compared with other bringers of winter gifts: Sinterklaas, Ded Moroz, Ayaz Ata, Christkind, Santa Claus and Father Christmas.

How Saint Nicholas is kept

Children are at the centre of the day. Overnight they set out a boot or a shoe, and a gift may also be slipped under a child's pillow. Families in the Netherlands and Luxembourg add hay and a carrot for the horse. Saint Nicholas is said to come into homes where small children live, sometimes with two companions, and to leave sweets and small toys for those who behaved. A child who misbehaved is told to expect a switch or coal. Parents usually prepare the presents, though adults sometimes exchange small surprises too.

When and where

The day is kept on 6 December. Churches that follow the Julian calendar keep it on 19 December instead. Saint Nicholas is said to come for his own feast and to leave before Christmas. In some homes the shoes are left out overnight, so the waiting happens the evening before.

The day is kept across much of Europe. It is well known in the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg; in Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany, mainly in the south and west; in Poland, Czechia, Slovakia and Hungary; and in Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Romania, Ukraine and the north-east of France. It is also found in the Balkans and in eastern Europe more widely.

What Saint Nicholas means

For the families who keep the day, Saint Nicholas stands for kindness that is noticed. He is called the patron of children, and the gifts mark the year a child has had. Sweets reward good behaviour, while the switch and the coal carry the warning that behaviour matters. The visits also open the Christmas season, since the saint is said to leave before that feast.

Days Saint Nicholas is marked

Questions people ask about Saint Nicholas

See also

ChristmasA festival of Jesus's birth, kept on 25 December with gifts, lights and shared mealsChristmas treeA decorated evergreen or artificial tree placed indoors to mark the Christmas season.Christmas EveThe evening before Christmas, marked by church services, family meals, and gift preparations across Christian cultures.MaifestA traditional German celebration marking the arrival of spring with decorated maypoles

Good reading and sources

• Saint Nicholas (European folklore) on WikipediaEncyclopedia
• More photos on Wikimedia CommonsPhotos and video
• Wikidata recordOpen data

It may contain mistakes. Traditions differ from one family, village and community to the next, and the people who keep them know them best. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-11.