The 6th of December is a really special day in Switzerland, especially for the children. St.Nikolaus is coming.
Usually the children prepare themselves with little poems or songs they want to ‘present’ to the holy man, who in turn is pleased by all the efforts of the children and gives them his appreciation!! The well-behaved children get some goodies, such as gingerbreads, cookies, mandarins, nuts chocolate etc, often St.Nikolaus tells the kids a story.
Then the long awaited moment arrives, when St.Nikolaus starts to read out of his golden book and praises the child for his good deeds throughout the last year and offers ideas of ‘betterment’ for the not so good things the child did. (The parents or teachers of the kid usually give these information’s)
He then leaves a birch rod as a souvenir of his visit and a reminder to keep up the good work.
Though in some parts of Switzerland, it used to be customary, that the children who really didn’t behave only got a birch rod and no goodies, basically a bit of the carrot & stick principle to encourage them to better themselves and the promise of goodies the next year.
The historic background in the custom lies in the 4th century AD and was inspired by the Holy Nicolas, Bishop of Myra, who according to legends that surround him, did many a good to youngsters and children and so he became the patron Saint of Children, that he wears a bishops habit and a Mitre shows his holy status, as well as his long beard shall indicate his old age.
The legend of St.Nikolaus got intertwined over the centuries with Celtic customs of Saturnalia, leading to the well-known Samichlaus and Schmutzli.
Schmutzli a dark dressed and dark looking counterpart to Samichlaus is a devilish figure accompanies a holy man. Tradition says that he takes away the bad kids in a burlap sack. This part of the legend scared our friends' 4-year-old so bad because he said he had been bad this year!
Here are our friends Karl & Jacob dressed up as Schmutzli & Samichlaus.
I went to the store with Kelsey on the 6th & Samichlaus was there ringing a bell. My first thought was that he was collecting money but it turns out he was giving kids goodies. Too bad Kelsey was asleep or she may have scored some good stuff.
GS WINTER PARTYTonight we left Kelsey with a babysitter for the first time and went to our 20's themed work party. Tal & I didn't dress up but almost everyone else did!
Here are a few of my girlfriends I worked with.
