Nikolaustag (St. Nicholas Day)
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- Was ist Nikolaustag? (What is Nicholaus Day?)
Wann ist Nikolaustag? (When is Nicholas Day?): der 6. Dezember
Nicholas Day, the famous feast of St. Nicholas, December 6, is the day Santa Claus visits the children, bringing gifts of fruit and nuts for the well-behaved children and his helper punishes the naughty ones.
- Beschreibung (description)
- Highlight for children at Christmas time
- You can celebrate it today.
- Nikolaustag Wortschatz (Nicholas day vocabulary)
- Sitten und Bräuche (customs and traditions)
- What gifts does Nikolaus bring?
- Why St. Nicholas puts candy in boots and stole our hearts?
- It is customary to sing "Nikolaus" songs.
- For the feast on Nikolaustag, the Christmas baking season begins with Spekulatius cookies, which is a special treat for Nikolaustag.
- Beschreibung (description)
- Wer war Nikolaus? (Who was Nicholas?)
- Schutzheiliger (patron saint)
- patron saint of all kids, bakers, and seamen
- Nikolaus: the saint who gave gifts before Santa
- Nickolaus Geschichte (history of Nicholas)
- Nikolaus Sage (legend of Nicholas)
- Gestaltung von Thomas Nast (creation of Thomas Nast)
- What’s the difference between Santa and Nikolaus?
- Wie sah der Nikolaus aus? (What did Nicholas look like?)
- Through the years and all over the world, St. Nick has many faces:
- image of a jolly elf
- gift bringer
- Father Christmas
- Pictures of Nikolaus
- Through the years and all over the world, St. Nick has many faces:
- Schutzheiliger (patron saint)
- Glauben und Aberglauben (beliefs and superstitions)
- Gabenbringer (German Christmas figures who bring gifts)
- Gabenbringer varies as to region
- 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.
- Sankt Nikolaus (Santa Claus)
- Other traditional Christmas figures
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- other Christmas figures: Rulkas; Hans Trapp; Habersack; Bercht; Polterklas or Pulterklas
- Knecht Ruprecht
- Gabenbringer (German Christmas figures who bring gifts)