Nikolausabend (Nicholas Eve)

Kalender

Was ist Nikolausabend? (What is Nicholaus Eve?)
Wann ist Nikolausabend? (When is Nicholas Eve?): der 5. Dezember

Nicholas Evening, December 5, is the traditional children’s festival of St. Nicholas, the patron saint of children, bakers, and seamen.

Another name for Nikolausabend is Krampusnacht, when the wicked hairy figure appears on the streets, sometimes with Nikolaus and sometimes on his own.
- Beschreibung (description)
  1. Imagine living in a country where Santa Claus comes twice a year.
  2. On the night of December 5th, children across Germany will leave out a boot for an old bearded man to fill with sweets and treats.
- Nikolausabend Wortschatz (Nicholas Eve vocabulary)
- Sitten und Bräuche (customs and traditions)
  1. Don’t forget to leave your boots on the doorstep!
    - After cleaning or polishing their shoes or boots, children place them on the doorstep or window sill.
  2. What gifts does the Gabenbringer bring?
    - small toys, trinkets, candy, and pastries
    - Why St. Nicholaus puts candy in boots and stole our hearts
  3. Christmas baking season begins with Nikolaustag.
    - Special treat for Nikolaustag is Spekulatius (cookies).
    - Other treats are Stutenkerl and Printenmann cookies.
  4. It’s also traditional to sing Nikolaus songs.
  5. Appearance of Krampus and the Krampuslauf (Krampus Run)
    - Where the Wild Things are—Krampuslauf
    - It is customary to offer Krampus "Schnaps," a strong distilled fruit whiskey.
    - These runs may include Perchten, also wild pagan spirits of Germanic folklore and sometimes female in representation, although the Perchten are properly associated with the period between winter solstice and 6 January.
Wer war Nikolaus? (Who was Nicholas?)
- Schutzheiliger (patron saint)
  1. patron saint of all kids, bakers, and seamen
  2. Nikolaus: the saint who gave gifts before Santa
- Nickolaus Geschichte (history of Nicholas)
  1. Nikolaus Sage (legend of Nicholas)
  2. Gestaltung von Thomas Nast (creation of Thomas Nast)
  3. What’s the difference between Santa and Nikolaus?
- Wie sah der Nikolaus aus? (What did Nicholas look like?)
  1. Through the years and all over the world, St. Nick has many faces:
    - image of a jolly elf
    - gift bringer
    - Father Christmas
  2. Pictures of Nikolaus
Glauben und Aberglauben (beliefs and superstitions)
- Gabenbringer (German Christmas figures who bring gifts)
  1. Gabenbringer varies as to region
  2. Wer bringt die Gerschenke? (Who brings the gifts?)
    - Sankt Nikolaus (Santa Claus)
      - Nikolaus is the giftbringer on Nikolaustag (St. Nicholas Day) on December 6.
      - He is known in southern Germany and Catholic regions.
    - Weihnachtsmann (Father Christmas)
      - Father Christmas is traditional name for personification of Christmas and considered to be synonymous with the US and international figure of Santa Claus.
      - On Nikolaustag (St. Nicholas Day) December 6, he and Knecht Ruprecht bring presents for good children and a stick for those whose behavior is not so good.
      - He is known in northern Germany and Protestant regions.
    - Christkind (also Christ Child, Kriss Kringle)
      - Christkind is gift bringer on heiliger Abend (Christmas Eve).
      - He is depicted as an angelic figure with blond hair and wings.
      - Christkind is traditional gift-bringer at Christmas time, mainly in European countries, including Austria, Germany, and Switzerland.
      - Der heiige Geist (Holy Spirit) brings gifts in parts of northern Germany
      - Knecht Ruprecht comes with the Christkind in some areas.
- Other traditional Christmas figures
  1. Knecht Ruprecht
    - Knecht Ruprecht is Nikolaus helper, who is a scary figure and who punishes bad children on Nikolausabend (Nicholas Eve).
    - His origin as a companion comes from Frau Perchta in ancient mythology.
    - He often appears in North Germany with Sankt Nikolaus.
  2. Krampus
    - Krampus is a demon-like creature, who punishes bad children.
    - He is known as Krampus or Grampus in Austria, Krampusz in Hungary, and der schwarze Peter (Black Peter) in Bavaria.
    - He appears on Nikolausabend (Nicholas Eve), December 5, or appears early on Krampustag, December 6, with Nikolaus.
  3. Belsnickel (also Belznickel, Pelznickel, Pelzmartel, Pelzmarte):
    - Belsnickel, the fur-clad giftbringer of the Rhine Palatinate area.
    - He is one of St. Nicholas’ companions, who comes to us by way of Germanic folklore and was brought to eastern PA by German and Swiss immigrants who became known as Pennsylvania Dutch
    - His dual role was to frighten bad children into good behavior and a gift bringer for good children on December 6.
  4. other Christmas figures: Rulkas; Hans Trapp; Habersack; Bercht; Polterklas or Pulterklas

Dezember Feiertage und Feste
(December Holidays and Festivals)

Vorweihnachten (1. bis 24. Dez): vorweihnachtliche Sitten; Adventzeit (der 1. Dez bis 24. Dez); Adventskalender; Gengenbachs Rathaus Adventskalender; Alternative Advent Calendars; Weihnachtsmärkte; erster Sonntag Advent (der 27. Nov); Sankt Barbarastag (der 4. Dez); zweiter Sonntag Advent (der 4. Dez); Nikolausabend (der 5. Dez); Nikolaustag (der 6. Dez); dritter Sonntag Advent (der 11. Dez); Sankt Luciastag (der 13. Dez); vierter Sonntag Advent (der 18. Dez); Hanukkah (18. Dez bis 26. Dez); Sankt Thomasfest (der 21. Dez); Anfang des Winters (der 21. Dez)
Weihnachten (24. bis 26. Dez): Weihnachtsfeier; heiliger Abend (der 24. Dez); der erste Weihnachtstag (der 25. Dez); der zweite Weihnachtstag (der 26. Dez)
Nachweihnachten (26. Dez bis 6. Jan): Nachweihnachtzeit; zwölf heilige Abende (der 25. Dez bis 6. Jan); Silvesterabend (der 31. Dez); Neujahrstag (der 1. Jan); Wunderabend (der 5. Jan); Dreikönigsfest (der 6. Jan)

Nikolausabend (Nicholas Eve)

Dezember Feiertage und Feste(December Holidays and Festivals)

Dezember Feiertage und Feste
(December Holidays and Festivals)