There are less than 20 days until Christmas but for some Americans, holiday celebrations commence even sooner.
While it’s not celebrated nationwide, St. Nicholas Day holds a special place for German and Dutch communities across the U.S. Festivities and traditions are held in various cities, including in Pittsburgh, St. Louis, Cincinnati, Cleveland and Milwaukee.
In the small east Wisconsin city of New Ulm, celebrators hold bon fire ceremonies while sharing stories of the saint the holiday is named after, according to the Farmer’s Almanac. Tradition declares the bonfire is formed through the sticks St. Nicholas brought for the bad children, but later realized he didn’t need.
In the small town of Mifflinburg, Pennsylvania, a three-day Christmas market is held offering traditional German festive food, decorations and gifts.
For those unfamiliar with the holiday, here’s what to know about St. Nicholas Day.
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Saint Nicholas of Myra, or St. Nicholas, was a bishop during the Roman Empire who became the Patron Saint of Children because of the kindness he showed to young kids. He was widely known for gift-giving and helping the poor, even if it meant selling his possessions.
St. Nicholas left golden coins behind for some children, slipping them into stockings that were hung up to dry. This led to the creation of the long-lasting custom of children hanging up stockings or leaving a plate out on St. Nicholas Eve.
St. Nicholas was named a saint by the church on Dec. 6, which is the same day he is believed to have died in 343 A.D. The day is celebrated as a feast day.
The Dec. 6 Feast of St. Nicholas became a popular tradition during the medieval period, particularly in Germany and German-speaking countries.
St. Nick’s Day occurs annually Dec. 6, which is a Friday this year.
St. Nicholas Day is the feast day of St. Nicholas, the fourth century bishop of Myra. According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, children are often given cookies, candies and gifts under their pillows or in their shoes and stockings during the feast day. Common St. Nick’s Day items include oranges, chocolate coins and candy canes.
It is also common for children to leave letters for St. Nicholas and carrots or grass for his donkey or horse.
St. Nick’s Day was brought to the U.S. with German immigration that began in the 1600s.
In Cincinnati, Dr. Ludwig “Louis” Rehfuss, a German immigrant who was a medical doctor, set up the first Christmas tree in the early 19th century, Don Heinrich Tolzmann told The Cincinnati Enquirer, part of the USA TODAY network, in 2021.
Tolzmann is curator of the German Heritage Museum and president of the German American Citizens’ League.
St. Nick’s Day began in Cincinnati around that same time period.
“That custom, because of the German heritage of our area, is widely celebrated here even to this day,” Tolzmann said.
On St. Nick’s Eve, St. Nicholas fills stockings left out for children based on how they behaved that year.
On Christmas Eve, Santa Claus – sometimes referred to as St. Nick, Kris Kringle or Father Christmas – similarly fills stockings and gives presents to children based on their behavior.
According to Smithsonian Magazine, a Bavarian immigrant named Thomas Nast, a cartoonist during the Civil War, created the first image of Santa Claus in 1863. The image, which first appeared in Harper’s Weekly, was created as Union propaganda during the war, featuring Santa handing out presents at a Union Army camp. In the image, Santa wears a jacket that has stars and pants colored in stripes.
The image was based on the likeness of St. Nicholas.
Contributing: Cailey Gleeson and Amy Schwabe, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
A version of this story was published in 2021, 2022 and 2023.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What’s the difference between St. Nicholas Day and Christmas?
