Twitter
Facebook
When German children wake up Saturday morning, they’ll first rush out to check if their boots, which they put outside their rooms tonight, are filled with goodies.
Saturday is “Nikolaustag,” Santa Claus Day. This means Santa Claus visits German homes during the night to bring candy, cookies, nuts, oranges and little gifts.
The day is observed in honor of Saint Nikolaus, who was bishop of Myra, Asia Minor during the fourth century.
Nikolaus was born around A.D. 270 in Patras. At the age of 19, his uncle, the bishop of Myra, ordained him. The new priest was then put into the monastery of Sion as abbot. When his parents died of the plague, he inherited all their property and gave it to the poor.
Nikolaus is known as one of the most favored saints.
Legend says he once restored to life three little boys who were killed by an evil innkeeper, cut up and preserved in barrels of vinegar. Nikolaus found them, put them together and after saying a prayer, the boys were alive again. That’s why he is the patron of children.
Saint Nikolaus is also known as patron of skippers, because he was able to calm down stormy seas and save sailors’ lives.
In another legend, Nikolaus became the patron of maidens. He saved three daughters of a poor family who did not have a dowry, from becoming prostitutes. One night, he secretly dropped bags of gold through their windows so the girls would be able to marry. Actually, he helped a lot of needy people by quietly
giving gifts.
Nowadays, besides visiting families at home, Santa Claus makes his appearance in kindergartens where he recites each child’s name out of his golden book and mentions if the child behaved well or not. The children have to sing him a song, before they receive chocolate and sweets. Some children fear him because he might bring them a rod to let them know that they didn’t behave well throughout the year. But usually the rod is hung with sweets and is supposed to remind children of their bad behavior.
The costume of Nikolaus varies from place to place. In some German regions, he is dressed like a bishop with mitre and bishop’s crook and is accompanied by “Knecht Rupprecht,” a shabbily dressed peasant who carries the sack of toys and treats, flourishes bundles of rods and threatens punishment to naughty children. In the KMC, he appears mostly in a red robe and a peaked cap, and has a long white beard. He is a friendly old man, who accepts children’s Christmas wish lists and asks children to promise to change for the better.
In Kaiserslautern, Nikolaus will make his appearance at different locations Saturday. At 3 p.m. he will be at the culture market in the Fruchthalle. From 5 to 6 p.m. he will visit the Christmas market near Stiftskirche and on Schillerplatz in his horse-drawn carriage. Nikolaus also will show up in the Kaiserslautern-Siegelbach Zoo at 3 p.m. Saturday.
The mobile ice-skating rink will offer a special Nikolaus On Ice event. Skaters can skate for a reduced price of €1.50 from 9 to 11 a.m. and from noon to 2 p.m. From 4 to 5 p.m. Nikolaus will pass out sweets to children. RPR1 radio station will offer free ice-skating from 3 to 6 p.m.
