St. Nicholas Day

On the anniversary of his death, 6 December, Catholic and Orthodox Christians remember Bishop Nicholas of Myra, who lived in what is now Turkey in the 4th century. After his arrest during a persecution of Christianity, he is said to have distributed his possessions among the poor. For example, he is said to have secretly given three lumps of gold to a poor family on three consecutive nights, which is why he is often depicted with three apples. Following these traditions, gifts were given to needy people, especially children, on the anniversary of the saint's death, probably from the 6th century in the East and the Middle Ages in the West. The reformer Martin Luther criticized this veneration of a saint and therefore introduced the ‘Christ Child’, who brings presents to children on Christmas Eve. As a result, the feast day of St. Nicholas is now celebrated more in Catholic or Orthodox families and less in Protestant ones.