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St. Nicholas, the special children's saint, is honored throughout Austria. It is said that God rewarded Nicholas' generosity by allowing him to return to earth each year to bring gifts to all the good children. St. Nicholas comes on his feast day, a special holiday apart from Christmas. Some places he comes on St. Nicholas Eve, December 5, and other places on the day itself, December 6. St. Nicholas (or Nicolo or Niklaus) is dressed as a bishop with flowing robes and a miter. He carries a big book and a bishop's crozier. During the year angels, who sometimes come with him, write children's good and bad deeds in this book.
In Austria a strange and frightening creature, Krampus, is usually with St. Nicholas. This devil figure, often in chains, is dressed in fur with a scary mask and a long red tongue. Krampus carries a wooden stick or switches to threaten children who misbehave or do not know their lessons. St. Nicholas never lets Krampus harm anyone. In some areas, though, hooligans dressed as Krampus do cause distressing havoc. When children promise to be good and study hard, St. Nicholas rewards them with a treat. He may come by himself or with angel helpers.
Austrian Christkindlmarkts open before St. Nicholas Day. There one finds delightful St. Nicholas delicacies—chocolates, marzipan, decorated cookies, even bread shaped like the good saint. The treats can be very small, just a single wrapped chocolate turned into a hand-made little Bishop Nicholas. Spiced speculatius cookies are shaped like the saint and Krampus. These are decorated with colored icing, fruit, and nuts. There are even prune-people of St. Nicholas and Krampus.
Children leave shoes for St. Nicholas on the windowsill or outside their bedroom doors. In the morning they find the good saint has filled good children's shoes with oranges, apples, nuts, sweets, and small toys. Of course, all the children are good.
In some towns St. Nicholas processes from the church before giving little presents to all the children. Saint Nicholas, and Krampus, may also visit in homes to ask children if they have been naughty or nice and perhaps to recite their prayers. Or the Children may simply find treats in their shoes in the morning.
St. Nikolaus Comes to St. Nikola an der Donau—along the Danube
St. Nicholas' Day . . . in Austria & America
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