The Day of Saint Nicholas on 6 December is the unofficial beginning of the festive season in Poland. Well-behaved children receive small gifts on the day, whereas naughty children receive a lump of coal or a twig, called "rózga".
Christmas Eve and Christmas are one of the most important family holidays in Poland. There are many traditions and customs during this special holiday. Traditional carp, a Christmas tree with apples, and carols from house to house…
Nicholas Day, feast day (December 6) of St. Nicholas, the 4th-century bishop of Myra. St. Nicholas is the patron saint of Russia and Greece, of a number of cities, and of sailors and children, among many other groups, and was noted for his generosity.
Children all over the world have St Nicholas to thank for this custom, although those who celebrate his feast day receive their treats on December 6th (St Nicholas Day) rather than Christmas Eve.
What Is Mikołajki? All About Saint Nicholas Day in Poland!
What is the 6th December in the UK?
On St Nicholas Day, 6th December, Churches in England and across the globe commemorate St Nicholas of Myra – a 4th century Bishop from Turkey – whose journey from Saint to Santa began with his legend for secret gift giving to those in need.
Why do Polish people get presents on 6th December?
St. Nicholas does not play a major role on Christmas Day, but is celebrated on his Saint feast day of December 6. He visits good children in secret and leaves presents for them.
In Poland, Santa visits children on the eve of his name day (by the way, name days are quite big in our country!) and leaves presents under their pillow or under their bed. And it is not all of his duties! After this very busy night, on December 6th, he visits children in kindergartens and primary schools.
Today's Christmas dinner usually opens with cold plates, including varieties of soused herring, followed by borscht or mushroom soup, and then the hot dishes: often carp, pierogi stuffed with sauerkraut and mushrooms, and croquettes.
Nicholas is celebrated in parts of Europe on 6 December. On the preceding evening of 5 December, Krampus Night or Krampusnacht, the wicked hairy devil appears on the streets. Sometimes accompanying St. Nicholas and sometimes on his own, Krampus visits homes and businesses.
The feast is celebrated annually with the giving of gifts on St. Nicholas' Eve (5 December) in the Netherlands and on the morning of 6 December, Saint Nicholas Day, Belgium, Luxembourg, western Germany, northern France (French Flanders, Lorraine, Alsace and Artois), Romania, Poland and Hungary.
Celebrated every year around December 6, Saint-Nicolas is above all a tradition that endures in eastern France, including Flanders, Alsace, Lorraine and Franche-Comté. So, who is Saint-Nicolas, considered the patron saint of Lorraine and its inhabitants since 1477?
Poland is a largely catholic country and Christmas Eve is a very important and busy day. It's now often the most important day over Christmas - even though it's not a holiday but Christmas and the 26th December are holidays!
Poles celebrate Christmas much like people in other European nations, decorating trees, viewing grand illuminations, and singing a few carols, but there are also some unique traditions that are observed in the Yuletide season. 87% of the Polish population identifies as Roman-Catholic.
In fact, most traditional Polish Christmas Eve dinners are completely vegetarian! This is because, in the past, people would fast for religious reasons and could not eat meat during this time. Nowadays, many Poles still choose to forego meat on Christmas Eve as a way to honour their traditions.
As a rule, Poles do not drink alcohol on Christmas Eve. A special compote is made of dried fruits, primarily plums and apricots. This tastes quite unusual and is unpalatable for some; however, it somehow always seems tasty when eaten at Christmas.
The shoes are left outside overnight on the Eve of the Feast of St. John (Midsummer's Eve), with the belief that the shoes will be filled with gifts from the spirits of nature. The gifts are typically small trinkets or sweets, and are left as a sign of gratitude for a bountiful harvest.
As Poland is more than 80 per cent Catholic, the Wigilia meal is meat-free with a main course of fish, most famously carp, which is meant to bring good fortune.
Upon his release, Nicholas continued his charity work until he died on December 6, A.D. 343. It was said that a liquid that formed in his grave had healing powers. This and other legends about Nicholas fostered devotion to him and inspired traditions still practiced today.
Spain celebrates Constitution Day on December 6 every year to commemorate the approval of a new constitution for the country. This significant event took place on December 6, 1978, when a referendum was held, marking an important milestone in Spain's journey towards becoming a constitutional monarchy and democracy.
While St. Nicholas' feast day is on December 19, St. Nicholas Day is typically celebrated on December 6, the anniversary of his death (December 6, 343 AD). Those who celebrate the holiday may choose to leave a shoe out on the night of December 5 to find chocolate coins or an orange tucked in it the next morning.
