In short: St Nicholas was Bishop of Myra, in present-day Turkey, in the 4th century. His feast day is 6 December. We know little for certain about his life, but many legends tell of his help for the poor and for children. From this came the custom of handing out small gifts on St Nicholas’s Day, for example in a polished boot.
Who St Nicholas of Myra was, what he is patron of and a short prayer, you will find in the Saints’ Lexicon: St Nicholas of Myra. This article is about St Nicholas’s Day in the family and about small gifts.
Nicholas is one of the best-loved saints of all. Children know him with a mitre, crozier and red cloak, adults as a name-day patron and patron saint of many trades. This article tells what we know about him, what is legend and how you can celebrate St Nicholas’s Day with small, meaningful gifts.
Who was St Nicholas?
Nicholas lived in the 4th century and was Bishop of Myra, a city on the south coast of Asia Minor. Sources from his time are rare. Most of the stories were written down only later. It is considered historically certain that there was a bishop of this name and that he was venerated from early on. The day of his death is observed on 6 December, according to tradition around the year 343. According to tradition his relics lie in Bari in southern Italy, to which they are said to have been brought in 1087.
The difference between history and legend is important. The following stories are legends. They say less about what happened than about what Nicholas stood for.
The best-known legends
The three daughters
An impoverished father could not marry off his three daughters because the money for the dowry was missing. Nicholas secretly threw gold pieces through the window at night, once for each daughter. From this comes the idea of secret giving, and also the golden balls seen in depictions of Nicholas.
The rescue of the sailors
According to another story, Nicholas rescued sailors from a storm. That is why he is regarded as patron of boatmen, travellers and merchants.
The grain for the hungry
In a famine he is said to have asked for part of a ship’s cargo of grain for the people of Myra. The legend ends with nothing being missing from the ship’s cargo in the end. This too shows that Nicholas stands for sharing and care.
What is Nicholas patron of?
Nicholas is the patron of many groups: children, pupils, sailors, traders and bakers, and in some regions the poor. He is also the name-day patron for Nicholas, Klaus, Niklas and Nicole. Anyone whose name day falls on this day can celebrate the occasion at the same time.
Customs on St Nicholas’s Day
- The boot: On the evening of 5 December children put a clean boot outside the door. In the morning it is filled.
- The visit from St Nicholas: In some families or parishes, a St Nicholas dressed as a bishop visits the children, often with a book containing praise and admonition.
- Nuts, mandarins, gingerbread: The classic contents of the boot; in the past, fruit was a luxury in winter.
- The parish celebration of St Nicholas: Many parishes celebrate it with a liturgy of the word and small gifts for children.
St Nicholas is not Father Christmas. Father Christmas is a later figure who emerged in the USA in the 19th century from the Dutch “Sinterklaas”. Nicholas, by contrast, is a saint with a fixed feast day.
Small gifts for St Nicholas’s Day
Not much is meant to be given on St Nicholas’s Day, just little things. If you would like to choose something with meaning, you will find a few ideas with us. The following pieces suit the occasion well because they are small and fit in a boot or a bag:
For children
- The guardian angel magnet (€13.90, blessed, with velvet pouch), a companion for the nursery and the fridge.
- The olive wood angel pendant (€9.90, blessed) to hang in the window or on a school bag.
- The Ichthys keyring (€9.90, blessed) for older children and teenagers.
For adults and name-day celebrants
- A small olive wood cross pendant with cord and velvet pouch (€9.90).
- The holding cross (€13.90, blessed).
- For drivers, in keeping with the patron saint of travellers: the St Christopher keyring (€14.90, blessed).
You will find more ideas under €15 in the article Small Christian gifts under €15.
St Nicholas in the parish and in the group
If you need something for a nursery group, the altar servers or a seniors’ circle, it is worth a look at our quantity discount. It applies to the total quantity of your order: 10% from 10 items, 15% from 25, 20% from 50 (does not apply to wooden statues from the woodcarving workshop). The quote is available on request; under quantity discount it says how to go about it. You can reach us by telephone on +49 30 2178 2502 (German and English), by email at hallo@lunexus.world. Parishes can buy by invoice (15 days). Allow a few days’ buffer for ordering and delivery. Shipped via Amazon's logistics network – free within Germany, €5.90 to Austria and France; Italy €6.90, Spain €6.90.
A closing thought
Anyone who takes St Nicholas seriously gives away not only sweets but also helps someone who needs it. A small donation, a visit to an elderly neighbour or a parcel for a food bank suits him better than any chocolate. The gift in the boot is then only the sign of it.
Frequently asked questions
When is St Nicholas’s Day?
On 6 December. In 2026 it falls on a Sunday, the second Sunday of Advent. The boot is put outside the door on the evening before, 5 December.
What is the difference between St Nicholas and Father Christmas?
Nicholas was a bishop and is a saint with his own feast day. Father Christmas is a modern figure who developed from the Dutch “Sinterklaas” and is mainly linked with Christmas.
Why do people put nuts and mandarins in the boot?
They are classic winter gifts from a time when fresh fruit was rare. Gingerbread and chocolate belong to it today as well.
What can I give for St Nicholas’s Day that is not made of sugar?
Small pendants, magnets or a keyring. They last longer than a sweet and recall the feast.
Is Nicholas a historical saint?
Yes, there was a Bishop Nicholas of Myra, but many stories about him are legends from a later time. Little is known for certain.
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