The feast of St. Nicholas is December 6th. On this day, Sw. Mikolaj would visit the homes of people in the village, dressed in his bishop’s robes. When Sw. Mikolaj visited the children, he gave them a gift for being good and to remind them of the gifts given to the Christ Child by the Three Kings. Celebrating the feast day of Sw. Mikolaj remains popular with Polish people living all over the world.
Many of the Christmas customs celebrated today are a result of the early visits made by St. Nicholas. For example, the candy cane given during the Christmas holidays is a simple treat symbolizing the shepherd’s staff, which is carried by a bishop.
Sw. Mikolaj is called the “Father of Christmas”, known to children in America as “Santa Claus”
fron PolishAmericanCulturalCenter
