scottishlass | #6 Advent Greeting

Happy Saint Nicolas* Day

*St. Nicolas is Nicholas of Myra, a bishop of Myra in Lycia (Antalya province, Turkey) and is reported to be born on Dec. 6th. A lot of miracles are attributed to him and all in all he was a very good, kind man who after his death became the patron of sailors, archers and other various professions. In Europe, Dec. 6th is celebrated by filling boots with sweets and fruit for the children in the night of 5th to 6th Dec. It stems from the time when sailors traditionally had times off on Dec. 6th and they bought goods and dweets for their loved ones and children. Ppl picked up on the custom and turned it into a children's festival during Yuletide.
St. Nicolas is also the model for Santa Claus. But Santa Claus as the Americans know it is not Nicolas in Germany. We have St. Nick (who is not the devil in Germany) and we have Weihnachtsmann (Father Christmas, Papa Noel) who comes from the forests and joins the Christkind (Christ Child, normally portrayed as angel) on December 24th.