Saint Nicholas (European folklore)

In Austria, Czechia, southern Germany, Hungary, Slovenia, Slovakia, Romania and Ukraine, Saint Nicholas often comes with two assistants (see companions of Saint Nicholas): a good angel who gives out presents to good children and a devil or a half-goat, half-demon monster in some legends (Krampus or Knecht Ruprecht in Austria and Germany). The latter scares bad children into being good.

On Saint Nicholas Day, they come to the houses where small children live and give them some presents or leave them in shoes that have been left out overnight. While nice children receive various fruits, candies and toys, naughty children can expect nothing more than a wooden switch, several pieces of coal or a carrot or potatoes left by a devil.

Treats are traditionally sweets, chocolate, candy, and various nuts, or szaloncukor in Hungary, Romania, and Slovakia. In modern times, chocolate Saint Nicholas figures are most common. In Austria, Hungary and Romania, to get the presents, the boots must be polished, because Saint Nicholas does not fill boots that are not shiny enough.

Although presents are usually given to children by parents, it is not uncommon in some countries for adults to place small surprises into the boots of other adults or to hand them a small wrapped present that day. In Hungary, this tradition is known as megajándékoz valakit valamivel: “gift somebody with something”.

The virgács is a switch resembling a small broom, made with twigs or branches from a bush or willow tree, often painted gold. They are sold on the streets in Hungary before Saint Nicholas Day.