Celebrating St.Nicholas
By Anna
@LadyDuck (471425)
Switzerland
December 6, 2020 8:55am CST
Christmas is not the only celebration of the month of December.
Today, December 6th, in several European Alpine countries and The Netherlands, we celebrate St.Nicholas' Day. This Saint is also the Patron Saint of Switzerland.
St. Nicholas is surely unknown to most of you, but he is the Saint who inspired the more famous Santa Claus.
Nicholas was a Christian bishop of Greek descent, known to have distributed money and gifts to the poor.
Tonight, before going to sleep, kids put their clogs outside the door.
Tomorrow morning, they will find inside some coins and candies.
St. Nicholas Clogs in the photo.
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67 responses
@thelme55 (77081)
• Germany
6 Dec 20
So St. Nicholas came first to the Netherlands on Dec.5, to Germany on the 6th and then to Switzerland on the 7th day of December. I used to hide chocolate on Santas shoes and in a Christmas bag the night before the 6th when my son was still small. We celebrate St. Nicholas Day today.
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@LadyDuck (471425)
• Switzerland
6 Dec 20
No St.Nicholas was born in Greece, the habit to celebrated SinterKlaas (St. Nicholas) started in the Scandinavian countries and The Netherlands. We celebrate Saint Ambrose in Milan the 7th of December and the Immaculate Conception on December 8th both in Italy and Switzerland. We do not celebrate St. Nicholas in Italy.
4 people like this
@sallypup (61139)
• Centralia, Washington
6 Dec 20
@LadyDuck One year I took my Mom to a little Dutch town that was just north of where we lived. SinterKlass rode into town, sitting bareback on a large and stout white workhorse. Black Pieter ran behind him, ready to hand out coal to the naughty children.
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@ScribbledAdNauseum (104628)
• United States
6 Dec 20
I remember growing up we were told a little bit about the origins of Santa Claus, but I don't remember a lot about it. Most kids here grow up with the cartoons and understand the role of Santa that way.
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@ScribbledAdNauseum (104628)
• United States
6 Dec 20
@LadyDuck So it's like the Christmas stockings that the US and UK do.
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@LadyDuck (471425)
• Switzerland
6 Dec 20
@ScribbledAdNauseum More or less, it's just for coins and candies, no important gifts.
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@DeborahDiane (40294)
• Laguna Woods, California
1 Apr 21
@LadyDuck - I love that St. Nicholas Day clog. In fact, I love almost everything related to holidays. They brighten our lives.
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@LadyDuck (471425)
• Switzerland
2 Apr 21
@DeborahDiane St.Nicholas is the Saint Patron of Switzerland, it is a coincidence that it is during winter and the same month of Christmas. In Italy we have many Catholic celebrations that happens from March to late August, surely more than we have in winter.
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@DeborahDiane (40294)
• Laguna Woods, California
1 Apr 21
@LadyDuck - I think the reason we have so many holidays during the winter is that winter must have seemed very cold and long before people had electricity. People livened up their winters with lots of different celebrations. It is fun to carry on those traditions today!
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@eileenleyva (27560)
• Philippines
16 Dec 20
That photo of St. Nicholas in a clog is so cute. So said my daughter sitting right beside me now.
I like your tradition of putting St. Nicholas in a clog right outside the door. That perks up the children's curiosity and excitement. I wonder if ever the children get sleep at all.
Yes, I knew of the story of the Bishop who helped the destitute. That is why I totally believe in Santa Claus.
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@eileenleyva (27560)
• Philippines
17 Dec 20
@LadyDuck St. Nicholas did spread the excitement worldwide. We just call him by many a different name: Santa Claus, St. Nick, Kris Kringle, et al. But like you, the children today still squirm on their beds, tossed and turned in anticipation of Santa coming and bringing gifts. I dunno if any child actually saw St. Nick but in my heart, I know I saw him inserting my presents in my sock.
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@LadyDuck (471425)
• Switzerland
17 Dec 20
@eileenleyva For almost all population he is a real Saint, except for Americans. Santa Claus has nothing to do with the original Saint, he is a big obese man who goes from house to house eating cookies and delivering gifts helped my elf. Totally pagan to the difference from Nordic European and Catholic countries.
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@LadyDuck (471425)
• Switzerland
16 Dec 20
The little St. Nicholas are made in chocolate and this is what the kids find in their clogs the morning after, usually with some coins and other candies. I did not sleep a lot the Christmas Eve waiting to check the presents under the tree the morning after.
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@sprite1950 (30452)
• Corsham, England
12 Jan 21
Pete says they also celebrate it in Austria too. He remembers being scared when someone dressed up and spoke to him as a child.
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@sprite1950 (30452)
• Corsham, England
12 Jan 21
@LadyDuck This year they have not had Father Christmas appearing at different venues but many kids sit on his lap and scream!
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@LadyDuck (471425)
• Switzerland
12 Jan 21
@sprite1950 Father Christmas was not in the Mall this year, it is too dangerous.
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@RebeccasFarm (89874)
• Arvada, Colorado
3 Sep 21
Yes I must be celebrating each saint every one of them
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@LadyDuck (471425)
• Switzerland
5 Sep 21
@RebeccasFarm I only know the dates of the Saints of our names and the most important, but surely not all of them. I know for sure Sant'Ambrogio, the Patron Saint of Milan, December 7th.
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@oahuwriter (26777)
• United States
17 Dec 20
How sweet! What a very nice celebration!
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@LadyDuck (471425)
• Switzerland
18 Dec 20
@oahuwriter No winter sports this year, they will have to stay home.
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@oahuwriter (26777)
• United States
18 Dec 20
@LadyDuck
That's good. Children like us got feelings, so something to look forward to is so nice.
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@Michellekidwell (29420)
• Sonora, California
6 Dec 20
I remember learning of the Origins of St Nicholas, and I knew of Saint Nicholas Day, because my Nonna’s parents immigrated from Italy,,and they had celebrated it as Children!
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@LadyDuck (471425)
• Switzerland
7 Dec 20
@Michellekidwell No, you have not this mixed up, St. Nicholas is the Patron Saint of Verona, there is an important church dedicated to this Saint in Verona. I am from Milan and our Patron Saint is St.Ambroise, December 7th.
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@Michellekidwell (29420)
• Sonora, California
8 Dec 20
@LadyDuck Thank you so much, I actually was not aware of that!
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@LowRiderX (22903)
• Serbia
16 Dec 20
@LadyDuck Here is St. Nicholas celebrates now on Saturday (December 19)
It is a different custom here, without clogs and sweets..
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@LadyDuck (471425)
• Switzerland
18 Dec 20
@LowRiderX Yes, he is the same Saint, but celebrated a little later, you also celebrate Christmas in January.
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@LowRiderX (22903)
• Serbia
18 Dec 20
@LadyDuck Yes, you are right.. I'm not sure if he's the same saint at all?
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@jobelbojel (35612)
• Philippines
6 Dec 20
I heard about St Nicholas and him being the inspiration of Santa Claus but never thought he was from Europe. Here, there are many towns and even villages named after San Nicolas. However, feast is being celebrated by my Catholic friends and uncle/aunt in September.
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@jobelbojel (35612)
• Philippines
6 Dec 20
@LadyDuck I checked it after posting my comment. Yes, you are right, my cousin's celebrate the feast on September 10. When I was younger, I used to go to their house. They always have lots of visitors.
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@LadyDuck (471425)
• Switzerland
6 Dec 20
@jobelbojel There are several saints with the same name, St.Nicholas of Myra is celebrated today ST Nicola s da Tolentino on September 10.
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@LadyDuck (471425)
• Switzerland
6 Dec 20
St.Nicholas was born in Greece and it has been celebrated in most northern European countries well before that Santa Claus became the one who brings the gifts on Christmas day. The St. Nicolas celebrated on September 10 is another, St. Nicolas of Tolentino, that one is Italian.
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@Juliaacv (50979)
• Canada
6 Dec 20
That is such a beautiful tradition.
I remember my parents taking me and our son to see St Nicholas and Zwarte Pete at a Dutch owned nursery one year. Our son was so scared of Zwarte Pete, and St Nicholas did not look much more approachable in his eyes. He stayed mad at both of my parents for taking us there for a long time. He told my hubby the next morning that he was so sad that he was working the night before and that he had to go out with his grandparents and I.
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@Juliaacv (50979)
• Canada
7 Dec 20
@LadyDuck Funny all of these years later, but that night he was so scared and so mad at my parents for insisting that he go up to see St. Nick and Zwarte Pete.
My husband remembers being at his aunt's home and Zwarte Pete was there, and he was so afraid.
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@Tampa_girl7 (50256)
• United States
6 Dec 20
I heard of him when I lived in Europe. I hope that you have had a nice weekend.
I hope that you have had a nice weekend.1 person likes this
@Tampa_girl7 (50256)
• United States
6 Dec 20
@LadyDuck it’s so nice that you have posted two discussions after such a long wait 
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@Marilynda1225 (82790)
• United States
7 Dec 20
I'm sure all the children are excited to see what's in their clogs.
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@LadyDuck (471425)
• Switzerland
8 Dec 20
@Marilynda1225 I remember how excited I was when I was a kid. My brother loved to sleep until late in the morning, but the day of Christmas he was up by 6.
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@Marilynda1225 (82790)
• United States
8 Dec 20
@LadyDuck we don't celebrate St. Nicholas here but I wish we did. I'm sure kids would be so excited. I do remember when my kids were little how excited they would be on Christmas morning when they saw that Santa had arrived.
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