Lyla Lindsey
Saint Nicholas is honoured throughout Austria, where he is known as the special children's saint. On the 5th or 6th of December, Saint Nicholas goes from house to house looking for all the good and well-behaved children to give them sweets and gifts. He is dressed as a bishop with flowing robes and a miter, and carries a big book and a bishop's crozier. Saint Nicholas is often accompanied by Krampus, his beast-like helper who punishes naughty children.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | 5th or 6th of December |
| Who | St. Nicholas, dressed as a bishop |
| Who | Krampus, a beast-like helper who punishes naughty children |
| What | St. Nicholas gives gifts to good children |
| What | Krampus parades, where people dress up as Krampus |
What You'll Learn
- Saint Nicholas is accompanied by Krampus, a beast-like helper who punishes naughty children
- Saint Nicholas comes on December 5 or 6, rewarding good children with gifts
- Saint Nicholas is dressed as a bishop with flowing robes and a miter
- In some regions, Saint Nicholas Day means a family member will get married next year
- Saint Nicholas Day is one of the oldest traditional customs
Saint Nicholas is accompanied by Krampus, a beast-like helper who punishes naughty children
Saint Nicholas, the special children's saint, is honoured throughout Austria. It is said that God rewarded Nicholas' generosity by allowing him to return to earth each year to bring gifts to all the good children. Saint Nicholas comes on his feast day, a special holiday apart from Christmas. In some places, he comes on Saint Nicholas Eve, 5 December, and in other places on the day itself, 6 December.
Saint Nicholas is dressed as a bishop with flowing robes and a miter. He carries a big book and a bishop's crozier. During the year, angels, who sometimes come with him, write children's good and bad deeds in this book.
Saint Nicholas goes from house to house looking for all the good and well-behaved children to give them little sweets like nuts, mandarins or chocolate.
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Saint Nicholas comes on December 5 or 6, rewarding good children with gifts
In some places, Saint Nicholas comes on St Nicholas Eve, December 5, and in other places on the day itself, December 6. December 6 is the Feast of St Nicholas, the most important of the church festivals in the period leading up to Christmas. In Austria, Saint Nicholas is accompanied by the diabolical figure of Krampus: the saint is benevolent and brings gifts for the children, while the role of the Krampus is to punish naughty children. Krampus parades have become especially popular on the evening of December 5, where people dress up as Krampus and roam the town, making a lot of noise and scaring spectators.
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Saint Nicholas is dressed as a bishop with flowing robes and a miter
Saint Nicholas is accompanied by Krampus, his beast-like helper who punishes nasty children with his rod. Krampus parades have become especially popular on the evening of December 5, where people dress up as Krampus and roam the town, making a lot of noise and scaring spectators.
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In some regions, Saint Nicholas Day means a family member will get married next year
Saint Nicholas Day is celebrated in Austria on 6 December, when Saint Nicholas goes from house to house looking for good and well-behaved children to give them sweets like nuts, mandarins or chocolate. In some regions, Saint Nicholas Day means a family member will get married next year. In these regions, 4 December is called 'Barbaratag' and is dedicated to Saint Barbara. People cut small twigs from cherry trees or forsythias and put them in a vase in their house. If the twig blossoms by Christmas Eve, it is seen as a sign of good luck and health in the following year, as well as a sign that a family member will get married.
Saint Nicholas is dressed as a bishop with flowing robes and a miter. He carries a big book and a bishop's crozier. During the year, angels, who sometimes accompany him, write children's good and bad deeds in this book. Saint Nicholas is also accompanied by Krampus, a beast-like helper who punishes nasty children with his rod. Krampus parades have become especially popular on the evening of 5 December, when people dress up as Krampus and roam the town, making a lot of noise and scaring spectators.
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Saint Nicholas Day is one of the oldest traditional customs
During the year, angels, who sometimes accompany Saint Nicholas, write children's good and bad deeds in his book. On Saint Nicholas Day, he goes from house to house looking for all the good and well-behaved children to give them sweets like nuts, mandarins or chocolate.
Krampus parades have become especially popular on the evening of 5 December, where people dress up as Krampus and roam the town, making a lot of noise and scaring spectators.
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Frequently asked questions
Saint Nicholas is celebrated on 6 December, although in some places it is celebrated on the evening of 5 December.
Saint Nicholas is dressed as a bishop, with flowing robes and a miter. He carries a big book and a bishop's crozier.
Saint Nicholas is accompanied by Krampus, a beast-like helper who punishes nasty children with his rod.
Saint Nicholas gives sweets to good and well-behaved children, such as nuts, mandarins or chocolate.
