On 6 December children put their boots outside the door and hope for sweets. St Nicholas, a bishop of the 4th century, stands behind this custom. He is not the same as Father Christmas.
Who was Nicholas of Myra?
Nicholas was Bishop of Myra in Lycia, a city on the south coast of present-day Turkey. He is said to have lived in the 4th century and to have died around 345 to 350. Information about his life is scanty, but veneration of him began very early and spread widely. In 1087 sailors from Bari brought his relics to southern Italy, where they now rest in the Basilica of San Nicola.
Legend and tradition
The legends tell of the bishop who secretly threw gold into the house of three poor girls as a dowry, so that they would not fall into hardship. Others report that during a famine he distributed grain and rescued sailors in distress at sea. These are traditions, not documented events, but they explain Nicholas’s patronage.
Feast day
The feast day of St Nicholas is 6 December, in the Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox traditions. Regional and denominational calendars may differ.
Patronage
- Children
- Sailors and boatmen
- Merchants and bakers
- Russia and Greece
“Patron saint” means that people ask this saint to intercede for them with God. No guarantee or promise of miracles is attached to it.
Attributes and depiction
Nicholas wears a bishop’s cope, mitre and crozier. His attributes include three golden balls or apples, a ship and sometimes three children in a barrel.
A short prayer
St Nicholas, you helped in secret and did not wait for thanks. Pray for all children and for all who are in need. Give us an open heart, as you had. Amen.
A simple prayer in our own words, to pray along.
Customs
On St Nicholas’s Day, Nicholas fills boots or plates overnight with nuts, mandarins and chocolate. In many places he visits children in person, accompanied by Knecht Ruprecht.
Father Christmas is a later figure, shaped above all in America, that emerged from the Dutch Sinterklaas. As a bishop, Nicholas remains a figure of the Church.
Today
From the veneration of St Nicholas has grown one of the loveliest family celebrations of Advent. The most important part is the idea of giving without expecting anything in return: Nicholas helped without expecting thanks. If you would like to keep the custom alive, you can tell children the legend of the three girls and together prepare a small gift for someone who needs it. Children and adults named Nicholas or Nicole also celebrate their name day on 6 December.
Matching items at LUNEXUS
- St Nicholas with book and apple – hand-carved figure from South Tyrol
- St Nicholas with three apples – hand-carved wooden statue from South Tyrol
- Jesus fish keyring, Ichthys, 8 cm – blessed
- Olive wood bell pendant – handcrafted in Bethlehem, blessed
The fish keyring and the olive wood bell make a small gift for the St Nicholas boot.
The wooden statues from our woodcarving workshop are hand-carved in Val Gardena (South Tyrol) and come directly from the workshop: delivery time approx. 3–4 weeks, insured shipping to Germany and Austria only (€6.90). The statues are not blessed in our warehouse, and the 14-day statutory right of withdrawal applies to them.
Many, but not all, of our items are blessed in our own warehouse by a Catholic priest from the Diocese of Fulda. A business-card-sized certificate card showing the date of the blessing is then enclosed; whether an item is blessed is stated in its title or description. Shipped via Amazon's logistics network – free within Germany, €5.90 to Austria and France; Italy €6.90, Spain €6.90. Returns are possible within 30 days.
More to choose from: saint statues from South Tyrol and all patron saints. Parishes and groups will find an offer on request on the quantity discount page (does not apply to wooden statues from the woodcarving workshop).
Keep reading in the magazine: St Nicholas’s Day: customs and small gifts
Frequently asked questions
When is St Nicholas’s Day?
On 6 December.
How does Nicholas differ from Father Christmas?
Nicholas was a historical bishop and is depicted in bishop’s vestments. Father Christmas emerged much later from the Sinterklaas custom.
Why do people put boots outside the door?
A legend tells that Nicholas threw gold into shoes or stockings. From this came the custom of filling boots.
Sources: Ökumenisches Heiligenlexikon (Ecumenical Lexicon of Saints), the Martyrologium Romanum and the regional calendar for the German-speaking area. We flag legends as such; prayers are, unless stated otherwise, our own simple wording. Compiled by Denis & Belinda, as of October 2026.
