Saint Nicholas, << NIHK uh luhs or NIHK luhs, >> Feast of, is a children’s festival celebrated on December 6, the feast day of Saint Nicholas. The saint was a bishop who lived in Asia Minor (now part of Turkey) during the A.D. 300’s. He is considered the patron saint of children. The festival is observed primarily in Europe. In some countries, children fill their shoes with straw and carrots for Saint Nicholas’s horse on the night of December 5, St. Nicholas Eve, when Saint Nicholas visits their homes. In the morning, they find the straw and carrots replaced by small toys and cookies. But if children have been naughty, they receive a whipping rod to remind them that someone is watching their behavior.
The Dutch brought the festival to America during the 1600’s. In the 1800’s, the figure of Saint Nicholas was changed into Santa Claus. However, St. Nicholas Day continued to be observed in the United States in many communities well into the 1900’s.
