St. Nicholas Day
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St. Nicholas Day: Saint Nicholas of Myra, a custom and the meaning behind 6 December. Why do we put a boot outside the door?
Who was Nicholas of Myra? Everything you need to know about St. Nicholas Day on 6 December, St. Nicholas, Father Christmas and nuts in your boot
December is a time full of magic, lights and ancient traditions. But few figures are as multifaceted as the man we celebrate at the beginning of the month. Many people today confuse him with Father Christmas, but St. Nicholas Day has its own, much older history.
What it's all about:
· Why do we celebrate St. Nicholas Day on 6 December?
· Why even a simple nut has a deep symbolic meaning,
· A journey from modern-day Turkey to German living rooms,
· A decoding of names and legends, and
· A deep psychological look into the soul of this custom, and
· How the figure of Saint Nicholas developed into the modern Father Christmas.
Let's dive into the world of Nicholas of Myra. Who was this bishop who has influenced generations of children? Why do we put boots outside the door? And what's the deal with his sinister companions?
Who was Saint Nicholas of Myra really?
When we think of St. Nicholas Day today, we usually picture a kind older man. But the historical basis is complex. Who was Nicholas of Myra? Historians believe that Nicholas was born between 270 and 286 in Patara, an ancient city in Lycia (in present-day Turkey). He came from a wealthy family. His piety became apparent at an early age. His uncle, also a bishop, recognised this, and so the young Nicholas was ordained a priest at the age of 19.
As a young man, he lost his parents to the plague. Instead of keeping the fortune for himself, he distributed his large inheritance among people experiencing poverty. This established his reputation as a bringer of gifts, particularly kind to children. Later, he was appointed bishop of Myra. But his life was not always peaceful. During the persecution of Christians under Emperor Galerius (around 310), he was captured and tortured. However, he survived and took part in the famous Council of Nicaea in 325. He died on 6 December, probably in 343, 350 or 352.
Bishop of Myra or Abbot of Sion: who is who?
There are a few documented facts about his exact life, as two historical figures have merged into one over the centuries. The figure we revere today as Saint Nicholas is a mixture of Bishop Nicholas of Myra (4th century) and Abbot Nicholas of Sion. The latter lived in the 6th century and was Bishop of Pinara and head of the monastery of Sion near Myra.
This fusion explains the abundance of miracles and stories attributed to the saint. The veneration of Nicholas spread rapidly. A decisive date in the history of Saint Nicholas is 1087, when Italian merchants (or pirates, depending on your point of view) stole the saint's remains from the church in Myra and brought them to Bari, Italy, allegedly to protect them from Seljuk conquest. They still rest in the Basilica of San Nicola today. This "move" significantly increased the veneration of St. Nicholas in Western Europe and made Bari one of the most important pilgrimage centres. (Relic theft was a venerated, long-standing, lucrative trade in those days. The relics of Saint Mark were stolen from Alexandria by Venetian merchants as early as 828 and brought to Venice. Those who possessed relics earned considerable income from pilgrims.)
What legends and customs shape our image of the saint?
There are numerous legends surrounding Nicholas, which form the basis for today's customs. The best-known story tells of an impoverished father and his three daughters. As the father was unable to provide a dowry, the young women were threatened with prostitution.
This is the most famous and oldest legend (the so-called "dowry legend" or "legend of the three virgins") that has been handed down about Nicholas of Myra. It originates from the Legenda Aurea (Golden Legend), a collection of legends about saints from the 13th century, which is based on much older Greek sources (dating back to the 6th century). It explicitly describes how the impoverished father planned to give his daughters into prostitution because he saw no other way to ensure the survival of his family. To understand the drastic logic of the legend, one must consider the social structures of late antiquity: a marriage befitting one's social status was practically impossible without a dowry (money or goods that the bride brings into the marriage). Without a dowry, there was no husband. There was also no social welfare system. For unmarried women, however, there were few opportunities to earn money honourably.
In the Legenda Aurea, the situation is, of course, dramatically exaggerated to convey the intended message: the father, driven by poverty, sees no other way out than to sacrifice his daughters to sin so that the family does not starve. This is where the miracle begins: Nicholas learns of this act of desperation. He secretly throws gold lumps (or bags of gold) through the window at night. With the first nugget, the first daughter was able to marry (the dowry was there). He repeated this for the second and third daughters. So he saved them – in the legend's diction – from "sin" and social ruin, and enabled them to lead an honourable existence through marriage.
In later tradition, the gold lumps allegedly landed in socks or shoes that were hanging by the fireplace to dry. No one asked whether it was possible to throw gold nuggets into unlit houses from the street through windows without waking the inhabitants, and still hit socks and shoes. Saints can do that. But who actually dried socks by the fireplace in late antique Lycia? Legend aside, logic aside. In any case, this tradition is the origin of the custom of placing polished shoes outside the door or by the fireplace.
Another important story is the corn miracle, in which Nicholas averted a famine in Myra by persuading sailors to give away grain, which then miraculously multiplied. The legend states that he did not "steal " the grain from them, but created a relatively modern magical win-win scenario. The legend says that a fleet of grain ships from Egypt (the breadbasket of Rome at the time) stopped in Myra. The city was starving. Nicholas asked the captains to give up some grain. The captains refused: "The grain is for the emperor in Constantinople. It is precisely weighed. If anything is missing, our heads will be cut off." Nicholas promised them, "You will not encounter any problems. The weight will not change." The captains hesitantly trusted him and unloaded grain until the granaries of Myra were full. When they later arrived in Constantinople, and the cargo was weighed by the imperial customs, not a single gram was missing. The cargo had miraculously increased.
Why does that make him a patron saint for sailors? He saved the sailors from the emperor's wrath (the weight was right). The sailors became eyewitnesses to his power. They were the ones who spread the story around every port in the Mediterranean: "We gave up grain, but the ships were still full!" That was the best PR one could have. Yet, there was also a prequel, "The Calming of the Storm." Before the grain story, there was another, much more important story that made him the patron saint of seafaring: sailors were caught in a severe storm, and the masts were in danger of breaking. In their distress, they called on Nicholas (though they had never seen him, they knew only of his reputation). Suddenly, a strange man appeared on board, grabbed the ropes, set the sails correctly, and commanded the wind to calm. The storm stopped, and the man disappeared.
When the sailors later wanted to pray in thanksgiving in the church of Myra, they recognised Bishop Nicholas: he was the man who had appeared on board. None of this was a coincidence. Myra (and the port of Andriake) was an essential stopover for routes from Egypt to Rome and Byzantium. Nicholas lived and worked directly on one of the main arteries of ancient seafaring. Seafarers were extremely superstitious people because they were constantly in mortal danger. This required a powerful protector who could control the elements (storm legend) and guarantee material security (grain legend). That is why he is still considered the patron saint of seafarers today.
The story of the three boys in the pickling barrel is actually the biggest "nonsense" in the entire St. Nicholas cycle – at least if you look for historical logic. But at the same time, it is the best example of how medieval "fake news" worked. Since there were no refrigerators, salting (dry or in brine) was the most important method of preserving meat and fish from ancient times. The Roman cookbook by Apicius describes methods for salting pork. Technically speaking, a criminal innkeeper in late antiquity could have salted scholars he killed. Nevertheless, the story does not fit at all with the historical bishop of the 4th century and only appears almost 900 years later!
This legend is a classic case of "Chinese whispers" with pictures. Historians are now sure that the legend is based on a misunderstanding of drawings: ancient icons often depicted Nicholas with the "dowry legend" (the story above with the three daughters). To represent the three gold nuggets, three circles or bags were often painted at his feet. In the Middle Ages (around the 12th century), when the story of the daughters had been forgotten in some regions, ordinary people looked at the pictures. They saw the bishop and three round "things" in a container. The new interpretation: "What are those heads down there? And why are they in a vat? They must be chopped-up people that he is putting back together!" So three gold nuggets for the virgins suddenly became three chopped-up students (or children) in a salting barrel. The horror story is brutal and macabre (cannibalism!), which is precisely why it was so popular in the Middle Ages. In times of famine, the fear that innkeepers would sell "inferior meat" (cats, rats or even humans) was a real primal fear. The legend also showed Nicholas as the master of life and death (resurrection). That was, so to speak, "cooler" than just donating money for a wedding. But the horror story of the three resurrected, pickled scholars (or clerics) also cemented his reputation as the saviour of children and poor people.
The central themes of all three traditions, however, are kindness and generosity.
Why is St. Nicholas Day celebrated on 6 December?
St. Nicholas Day is traditionally celebrated on the anniversary of his death. Since he died on 6 December, this day was dedicated to him in the church calendar. In many countries, this day is or was a public holiday, but it plays a massive role in secular life. Why is St. Nicholas Day celebrated so intensely? Because it marks the beginning of the Christmas season.
Interestingly, St. Nicholas Day on 6 December was originally the actual day of the big gift-giving. In the Middle Ages, the fact that St. Nicholas brought gifts was the highlight of the year for children. It was only with the shift in emphasis during the Reformation (see below) that the main gift-giving moved to 24 or 25 December. Nevertheless, the custom of giving small gifts from 6 December (or the evening before) persists.
How did Saint Nicholas become Santa Claus?
People often ask: Are Nicholas of Myra and Father Christmas the same person? Historically speaking: yes and no. The modern Father Christmas is a secular development. Dutch emigrants brought their "Sinterklaas" (Saint Nicholas) to Nieuw Amsterdam (now New York) in the 17th century. The name Sinterklaas was corrupted into Santa Claus in English.
While Bishop Nicholas is depicted in vestments, mitre and staff, Santa Claus developed in the 19th century (through poems such as "A Visit from St. Nicholas" and drawings by Thomas Nast) into the rotund, jolly man in a red coat who lives at the North Pole. This Santa Claus then returned to Europe as "Father Christmas". So it is nonsense to say that Coca-Cola invented him; they only hijacked his image. Saint Nicholas of Myra is the historical original; Santa Claus is his pop-cultural "descendant".
What does Martin Luther have to do with the Christ Child and St. Nicholas?
Martin Luther's Reformation had a massive influence on German Christmas celebrations. Luther rejected the veneration of saints. It was a thorn in his side that a saint (Saint Nicholas) brought the gifts and not Christ himself. To curb the veneration of Saint Nicholas, Luther promoted the "Holy Christ" (later the Christ Child) as the bringer of gifts.
He moved the gift-giving from 6 December to Christmas Eve (24 December) to focus attention on the birth of Jesus. Paradoxically, over time, the Christ Child took on many of St. Nicholas' attributes (secret gift-giving). In Catholic areas, St. Nicholas remained the main gift-giver for a long time, while the Christ Child was more prevalent in Protestant regions. Today, this has often been reversed or mixed: in the south, the Christ Child comes, in the north, Santa Claus, but St. Nicholas comes almost everywhere on 6 December as well.
Krampus, Knecht Ruprecht and Belsnickel: who are these companions?
St. Nicholas rarely comes alone. In the legends and customs of various regions, he is accompanied by figures who take on the punishing role, while St. Nicholas rewards the children.
Knecht Ruprecht: In northern and central Germany, he is the best-known companion. He usually wears a dark robe, has a beard and carries a rod. He asks the children if they can pray.
Krampus: In Bavaria, Austria and parts of South Tyrol, Krampus is up to his mischief. He is a demonic figure with horns and fur, whose origins probably lie in pre-Christian winter customs. While St. Nicholas is kind, Krampus rattles his chains.
Belsnickel: In south-western Germany (and made famous by emigrants in Pennsylvania), there is Belsnickel. He is often dressed in fur and is an ambivalent figure who both gives nuts and punishes.
From winter spirit to chained dog: the pagan roots of the Rauhnächte
To understand why such dark figures often accompany the benevolent bishop, we must look deeper into history – to a time long before Christian missionary work. The days around December have always been a mystical time for people: the rough nights or Twelve Nights.
The original function: protection instead of punishment
On dark winter nights, when the wind howled (the "Wild Hunt"), people believed in nature spirits, the Perchten. It is important to note that these wild, terrifying figures were not inherently evil.
Schiachperchten: The ugly, loud masks served to drive away winter and evil spirits. They were therefore protective figures for the house and farm. Their noise and rods were intended to awaken fertility and chase away the darkness.
Schönperchten: There were also light figures who brought blessings and good fortune for the coming year.
These figures were part of a cosmic balance, not moral judges of "well-behaved children". They embodied the unbridled but necessary power of nature.
The Christian reinterpretation: the bishop's victory over nature
When Christianity took hold in Central Europe, the Church faced a problem: people did not want to give up their deeply rooted winter customs. Since the wild runs could not be banned, they were assimilated and reinterpreted.
This is where the missionary's stroke of genius comes in:
The division: the positive, gift-giving qualities of the old winter spirits (such as Wotan or Frau Perchta) were transferred to Saint Nicholas. He represents divine light, civilisation and ecclesiastical order.
Demonisation: The wild, impetuous aspects (noise, fur, rod) were split off and formed into the "dark companions" (Krampus, Knecht Ruprecht).
Subjugation: The decisive visual symbol is the chain. In the St. Nicholas custom, Krampus is almost always chained or submits to the bishop's command.
The message was clear: Christianity (St. Nicholas) had defeated and tamed the old, wild pagan forces (Krampus). The former protector against winter became the punishing devil, who now serves only as a deterrent to demonstrate the superiority of faith.
Knecht Ruprecht is a milder example of this reinterpretation: his name probably derives from "Hruodperaht" (glorious) – an epithet of Wotan. Over the centuries, the powerful father of the gods became a "servant" who had to carry the bishop's bags. The rod, originally a "branch of life" (a symbol of fertility used to strike cattle and humans to transfer vitality gently), was reinterpreted as a pure instrument of punishment.
Seen in this light, 6 December is, on the one hand, an annual spectacle that stages the historical victory of the Church over the "old magic" of the rough nights. On the other hand, this duality, the benevolent bishop and the wild companion, is essential to the dramaturgy of the custom.
Boots out: What does the custom look like today?
The central ritual takes place on the night of 5th to 6th December. Children place their boots or polished shoes outside the door. The expectation: if they have been good, St. Nicholas will fill them with sweets, mandarins, gingerbread and nuts. Nuts and apples were once precious gifts in winter and symbols of fertility and life.
In some regions, such as the Rhineland, St. Nicholas is also known as "Kleeschen" (little Klaus). On the evening of 6 December, children go from house to house singing "Nikolaussingen" (similar to Epiphany or St. Martin's Day). Large celebrations in honour of the saint also take place in the church of Myra (now Demre) and in Bari. It is a celebration that combines family, sharing and morals ("Have you been good?").
Why we need him: an interpretation
Why does the legend of St. Nicholas as both punisher and gift-giver persist so stubbornly? Why are we fascinated by the contrast between the holy bishop and the demonic Krampus?
From a psychoanalytical point of view, the custom of St. Nicholas stages a split in the superego. The small child experiences parental authority as sometimes loving and nurturing, and at other times punitive and failing. The custom of St. Nicholas externalises these inner conflicts (projection).
St. Nicholas (or Saint Nicholas) is the idealised good object: he is kind and gives unconditionally, as long as one meets the minimum social norms. He embodies the hope for love and care.
Krampus or Knecht Ruprecht is the evil object (the shadow): he embodies instinctual aggression and the fear of punishment (symbolised by the rod or the sack).
By separating these figures, the custom makes the child’s ambivalence bearable. One does not have to hate the "good father" when he punishes, because the punishment is taken over by the "other". The "book of good deeds" is an image of conscience. It teaches the child that their behaviour is being observed (internalisation of norms). Still, it offers redemption through the subsequent gift (nuts, sweets): you have been seen, evaluated and found to be good.
The popularity of St. Nicholas lies in the fact that every year on 6 December, he allows us to resolve moral conflicts playfully.
Addendum: Why we put nuts in our boots (the symbolism)
The nut in the sack: gold, God and the hidden interior
The fact that we now find nuts (especially walnuts), mandarins and apples in our boots is often dismissed as a "healthy alternative" to sweets. But historically, the nut is perhaps the most essential symbol of St. Nicholas customs, for three completely different reasons:
1. The memory of the gold legend
The most obvious explanation is the legend of the three virgins. Nicholas threw gold nuggets through the window. Since real gold nuggets were unaffordable for the general population, they were replaced in tradition by gold-plated walnuts. So when you find a golden nut in your boot, you are symbolically holding the ransom for the three daughters in your hand.
2. "Nux est Christus" – The theological interpretation
The theological interpretation, which goes back to the Church Father Augustine, goes much deeper. For the Church, the walnut was a perfect image of Jesus Christ:
The green, bitter outer shell (which falls off as it ripens) symbolised the flesh of Christ and his earthly suffering.
The hard wooden shell represented the wood of the cross.
The sweet, nutritious kernel inside represented the divine nature of Jesus, hidden within the human body.
Cracking the nut was therefore a spiritual exercise: one must penetrate the hard shell of the exterior to reach the divine truth.
3. The psychological symbol: hard shell, soft core
In the dark winter months and the Twelve Nights, the closed nut symbolises life in death. On the outside, it looks like a dead, wooden object (like winter nature), but inside it preserves the concentrated life force (energy/fat) necessary to survive the winter.
Psychologically and pedagogically, the nut teaches children patience and hard work: unlike chocolate, which offers immediate pleasure, the kernel of the nut must be worked for (cracked open). It symbolises the fact that actual value is often hidden and requires effort – a lesson St. Nicholas imparts as an educational figure.
The most important facts at a glance
History: Saint Nicholas is based on Nicholas of Myra (Lycia, present-day Turkey) and Abbot Nicholas of Sion. He lived around 270-286, approx. 343.
Date: We celebrate St. Nicholas Day on 6 December, the anniversary of his death.
Custom: On the night of 5th to 6th December, children put their boots outside.
Figure: He is a bishop with a staff and mitre, not Father Christmas with a pointed cap.
Difference: Santa Claus originated from the Dutch Sinterklaas in the USA; Martin Luther established the Christ Child as an alternative to St. Nicholas.
Companions: Knecht Ruprecht, Krampus, or Belsnickel take on the punishing role.
Patron saint: He is the patron saint of sailors, children, and the poor.
Relics: His remains were brought to Bari in 1087, where veneration is still centred today.