St. Nicholas Day In Poland St. Nicholas Day In United States of America St. Nicholas Day In Netherlands St. Nicholas Day In Italy Grandfather Frost In Russia

According to Christian tradition, St. Nicholas was bishop of Myra - the land located in what is now Turkey. He was the prototype of a dealer box gifts to children. One legend has it that a man had fallen into bankruptcy and decided to give his daughter to a brothel. To protect against that, Nicholas had put in the night through the chimney three bags of coins that spilled into stockings and shoes drying by the fireplace.

In Poland, Saint Nicholas' Day is celebrated on 6 December. Santa Claus traditions, however, differ significantly in many regions of the country. According to folk tradition, Saint Nicholas is the patron saint of shepherds and cattle, which protects against wolves. This is why December 6 shepherds made him the victim in the form of special wreaths of flax and hemp, putting them chicken and goose eggs. That day also carried the rectory sheep and lambs. The custom of visiting homes by Nicholas was known in some Polish regions in the nineteenth century. Santa visited the houses a long with angel and devil horned, questioned children with prayers and asked parents about their behavior. Sweets handed polite, gave the wrong switch. Today more and more popular is also giving each other gifts such as peer in schools.

Santa vs. Star Star of Polish tradition disappears. Today it is present only in Kashubia and Opole province. In Lower Silesia increasingly been used, however, the name St. Nicholas. Superstar name is used in some places, but there is the habit of disappearing. Santa Claus in Poznan Another legend has it that in the morning on December 6 he looks through the window and when he sees inmates cleaned shoes leave presents. However, if the shoes are dirty or not at all, leave a rotten pyre, or the poznańsku rotten potato. Currently, it is also synonymous with Christmas, in which a man dressed as Santa Claus distributes gifts to the youngest. Santa in Cieszyn Silesia Polish, old traditions are still preserved in Cieszyn Silesia, where on December 6 in the villages go przebierańcy-Santas. It is said about them the "Santas Beskidzcy". Przebierańcy divided into two groups: White and Black. White is good, Black - bad. The latter are devils, Gypsies and bears - that are disguised. St. Santa Claus with a beard St. Nicholas will probably Wroclaw today in many homes. Dressing up for the St. Nicholas is a relatively new habit, cultivated in the tradition of not only Polish but also in other European countries.

American image Bishop of Myra usually depicted in bishop's attire, with a bag of gifts for well-behaved children in one hand and rods for naughty in the second. This image of an American company producing one of the world's most popular drinks found to be too serious, because in 1930 he asked the American artist Fred Mizen to design a new form of image and reputation. Currently, Nicholas is an older, fatter man dressed in a red suit and a red cap with a distinctive white tassel. And that's today imagine St. Nicholas children. With the image of the Holy Americans with a bag of gifts operates almost all over the world. However, in many countries, their traditions are promoted, handing out gifts to children.

Nicholas in the Netherlands In the Netherlands, the youngest bestows Sinterklass (phonetically resembles Santa Claus), who arrives on the ship on Dec. 5 from Spain. Traditional gifts on this day are chocolate letters. Each person is given then the first letter of his name. Sinterklassa helper Zwarte Piet is. - He's black, but it has nothing to do with slavery. It's just dirty from the soot in the chimney, because in this way provides the children with gifts for their shoes.

Nicholas the Italian Other customs prevail in Italy, where he presents on the feast of the Epiphany witch Befana hands. It is imagined as an old man with the crooked nose, dressed in old, dirty clothes. Witch on a broom year and enters the house through the chimney. Children who want to gain her favor should leave her tangerine or a glass of wine. If your children are naughty, Befana put them into socks garlic or coal. According to legend, the witch was going to meet the Magi to Jesus. Befana but got lost and years from now on a broom leaving gifts in their homes, in case one of them was Jesus.

St. Christmas in Russia The Russian children receive gifts in the New Year. Grandfather Frost endows them, often confused with Santa Claus. His wife is the old woman winter. He is wearing a fur hat uszankę long to heel sheepskin, which can be blue or silver, and this waist cord. Propped up his staff. Russian children imagine him as a tall, elderly, but also a strong and vigorous man with a long beard to the ground. Jack Frost comes to the door, children's homes, and not through the chimney. Often accompanied by a granddaughter, Snieguriczka.