Poland
St. Nicholas, called
Sw. Mikolaj, is a saintly, dignified figure in Poland; he comes as a
bishop, carrying a
crozier. Descending from Heaven with an angel helper, he travels on foot or in a sleigh pulled by a white horse as he visits homes in the countryside. When he appears, the eager children cry, "He has come! He has come!" St. Nicholas' presence fills the room with his smile, the twinkle in his eye, and his welcoming, booming voice. Children recite their catechism and prayers.
St. Nicholas rebukes or praises, as appropriate, before distributing holy pictures, red apples or oranges, and
pierniki (
saint cookies made with honey and spices). If he doesn't come in person, treats are put under sleeping children's pillows or left in freshly cleaned and polished shoes left out for the saint. St. Nicholas acts in his traditional religious role as a protector and
patron saint while encouraging Polish children to be well-behaved, as there are switches for naughty children.
On Christmas children eagerly await the end of Wigilia (Christmas) dinner, for then they will unwrap their presents and discover if they have received what they requested in letters to St. Nicholas. Sometimes the good saint appears again, asking questions to determine how the children have behaved. Then he distributes the gifts and quietly disappears to visit other excited children.
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The most popular of the
Advent holidays was—and still is—
St. Nicholas Day. It is the only one of the old Czech Advent holidays still celebrated today. It is a special time when children receive sweets and small gifts. They used to be apples, nuts and sweets, while now they are chocolate, toy cars and other small presents. St. Nicholas Day also reminids people that Baby Jesus will soon be here.
Angels lower St. Nicholas, or
Svaty Mikuláš,, with a basket of apples, nuts, and candies, down from heaven on a heavy golden cord. On December 5th, the eve of St. Nicholas Day, three figures—kindly St. Nicholas who gives gifts to children, a Devil who comes to take bad children away, and an Angel who pleads on their behalf—form a procession marking the beginning of the Christmas season. The streets are filled with devils rattling chains, St. Nicholases with white cotton beards, long robes and
bishops' staffs, and angels with paper wings on their way to visit small children in their homes.
Traditionally, St. Nicholas quizzed children on the prayer-book and the Bible. Today, however, the questions are mostly about the previous year's behavior. The angel writes a record for each child in a large book and the children sing or say a poem to the
saint. The devil rattles his chains, threatening to carry bad children off, but the angel, with a gold star on her forehead and dressed in a white gown, protects the children.
St Nicholas with Angel and Devil
1937 Czech Postcard
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