Nikolaustag

via

6th December is St Nicholas' Day, or Nikolaustag in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. In these countries Nikolaustag is an anticipation of Christmas. Customs vary between countries and even between regions. In parts of Germany children leave their shoes outside their doors on the evening of the 5th; by the next morning St Nikolaus will have filled them with fruit and sweets (let us hope the shoes are not over-old...).

In other areas, St Nikolaus comes to find out whether children have been good enough for him to dole out presents. On these visits he is accompanied by the Krampus (this is the Austrian name: in Germany he is Knecht Ruprecht and in Switzerland Schmutzli). The Krampus is as scary as St Nikolaus is benign; he is an ugly, troll-like figure, trailing clanking chains and carrying a switch and a big sack. If children have been good, St Nikolaus will reward them with fruits and sweet treats, but naughty children get a spanking by the Krampus. Really naughty children get put in the sack and carted off to the Black Forest!

Draussen weht es bitterkalt,

Wer kommt da durch den Winterwald?

Stipp stapp, stipp stapp und huckepack

- Knecht Ruprecht ist's mit seinem Sack.

Was ist denn in dem Sack drin?

Äpfel, Mandeln und Rosin' und schöne Zuckerrosen,

auch Pfeffernüss fürs gute Kind;

die andern, die nicht artig sind,

die klopft er auf die Hosen!

Outside it is blowing bitter cold,

Who comes there through the winter forest?

Stipp stapp, stipp stapp and piggy-back

- It is the Krampus with his sack.

What then is inside the sack?

Apples, almonds, raisins and beautiful sugar roses

and Pfeffernüsse for the good child;

the others who are not good

get spanked on the seat of the trousers!

St Nikolaus is based on a historical (according to some) or legendary (according to others) figure, Nicholas, Bishop of Myra, who is thought to have lived in the second half of the third century AD in modern-day Turkey (did he know St Barbara, I wonder?). He is the patron of children, sailors, students, teachers and merchants, but is best known for being very generous, giving readily to those in need. Somehow this became the basis of the Christmas present-giving tradition.