So, you’re looking for a date. When is St Nick Day? Mark your calendar for December 6th. Every year, it’s the same. December 6th.
But hold on. It isn't always that simple because the "when" depends entirely on where you’re standing and which calendar your church follows. For most of us in the U.S. and Western Europe, it’s December 6. If you’re in an Eastern Orthodox community that uses the Julian calendar, you might actually be looking at December 19. It’s a bit of a scheduling headache if you’re trying to coordinate a multi-cultural family gathering.
The Confusion Between St. Nick and Christmas
Most people see a guy in a red suit and think "Santa." They think December 25th. They're wrong. Well, they aren't wrong, but they're missing the distinction. St. Nicholas Day—or the Feast of Saint Nicholas—is its own thing entirely. It’s older. It’s more rooted in actual history than the North Pole narrative we've built over the last century.
Why does this matter? Because if you wake up on December 6th in a place like Germany, the Netherlands, or even parts of Milwaukee and Cincinnati, and your shoes aren't filled with chocolate, you’ve missed the boat. The holiday honors Nicholas of Myra. He was a 4th-century Greek bishop. He didn't live in the snow. He lived in what is now modern-day Turkey.
The big difference is the "shoe" thing. On the night of December 5th, kids leave their boots by the door or the fireplace. By the morning of the 6th, those boots are stuffed with coins, oranges, or candy. It’s a precursor to the Christmas stocking, but it happens nearly three weeks earlier.
When is St Nick Day Celebrated Globally?
In the Netherlands, they call it Sinterklaas. This is the big one. Honestly, for many Dutch families, the 5th and 6th of December are more important for gift-giving than Christmas Day itself. They do this thing called Pakjesavond (presents evening) on the night of the 5th. It’s loud. It’s chaotic. There are poems involved that usually roast the person receiving the gift.
In Germany, Nikolaustag is the vibe. You’ll see kids polishing their boots until they shine because, legend has it, St. Nick won't put treats in a dirty shoe. It teaches hygiene through bribery. It works.
Then you have the darker side. You can't talk about when St Nick Day is without mentioning his "associates." In Alpine regions—Austria, Bavaria, South Tyrol—St. Nicholas doesn't travel alone. He brings Krampus. While Nicholas is handing out gold coins and clementines to the "nice" kids on December 6, Krampus is looking for the "naughty" ones with a bundle of birch sticks. It’s a wild contrast. One guy is a saintly bishop; the other is a goat-horned demon.
The American "St. Nick" Pockets
In the United States, the tradition is regional. If you live in a city with deep German or Dutch roots, like St. Louis or Milwaukee, you’ll see the 6th of December celebrated heavily. Local bakeries will sell "St. Nicholas" cookies. Parents will sneak into the mudroom at 11:00 PM to shove a chocolate Santa into a muddy sneaker.
Elsewhere? It’s barely a blip. Many Americans have merged Nicholas so thoroughly into "Santa Claus" that the specific feast day has been swallowed by the general "holiday season."
Who was the real Nicholas?
He wasn't a jolly, plump man from the Arctic. Nicholas was a real person. He was the Bishop of Myra. He was known for being incredibly wealthy but even more incredibly generous.
There is a famous story—the one that basically started the stocking tradition. A poor man had three daughters. He couldn't afford dowries for them. Back then, no dowry meant no marriage, which often meant a very grim life of poverty or worse. Nicholas heard about this. Instead of making a public show of charity, he went to the house at night. He tossed a bag of gold through an open window. It supposedly landed in a shoe or a stocking drying by the fire. He did this three times.
That’s why we put stuff in footwear on December 6th. It’s a direct nod to a 1,600-year-old act of anonymous charity.
The Calendar Split: December 6 vs. December 19
This is where it gets technical. Most of the world uses the Gregorian calendar. Under this system, the feast is December 6.
However, many Eastern Orthodox churches—including those in Russia, Serbia, and parts of Ukraine—still use the Julian calendar for religious holidays. The Julian calendar is currently 13 days behind the Gregorian one. So, when the rest of the world is hitting the mid-December slump, these communities are just beginning their St. Nicholas celebrations on December 19.
If you are traveling in Eastern Europe during December, you might get "two" St. Nick days. It’s a great way to double up on festive food.
Why We Still Care About December 6
In a world dominated by massive retail pushes and month-long Black Friday sales, St. Nicholas Day feels... different. It’s smaller. It’s more personal. It isn't about the $500 gaming console. It’s about an orange and a handful of nuts.
There's a psychological benefit to it, too. It breaks up the long wait for Christmas. For kids, December is an eternity. Having a "mini-Christmas" on the 6th acts as a pressure valve. It gives them something to look forward to without the overwhelming intensity of the 25th.
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Preparing for the 6th: A Quick Checklist
If you're planning to start this tradition, don't overthink it. You don't need a tree. You don't need a 12-course meal.
- The Shoes: Make sure they are clean. This is the "golden rule" of the holiday.
- The Filling: Traditional items include gold chocolate coins (representing the bags of gold Nicholas threw), oranges or clementines, and perhaps a small toy or ornament.
- The Timing: Put the items in the shoes late on the night of December 5th.
- The Story: Read the story of the real St. Nicholas. It helps ground the season in something other than just "getting stuff."
People often ask if they should do St. Nick Day and Santa. Why not? Most families who do both treat St. Nick as the "religious/historical" figure and Santa as the "magical/secular" figure. It’s a nice way to bridge the gap between faith and folklore.
What Most People Get Wrong
The biggest misconception is that St. Nicholas Day is just "early Christmas." It isn't. Historically, St. Nicholas was the primary gift-giver in Europe. It wasn't until the Reformation in the 16th century that things shifted. Martin Luther wanted to move the focus away from saints and toward Christ. He promoted the idea of the Christkind (the Christ Child) bringing gifts on Christmas Eve.
Ironically, the Dutch kept their Sinterklaas tradition, brought it to New York (New Amsterdam), and eventually, Sinterklaas morphed back into the English "Santa Claus." We basically took a 4th-century bishop, turned him into a 16th-century protestant alternative, and then merged them into a 20th-century marketing icon.
But on December 6th, we strip all that away. We go back to the bishop. We go back to the bags of gold and the simple act of helping a neighbor in secret.
Actionable Steps for the Season
- Check your local community calendar: If you live in a city with European heritage, look for "St. Nick" festivals on the weekend closest to December 6th.
- Audit your shoe closet: If you have kids, have them polish one pair of shoes on the evening of December 5th. It’s a great way to sneak in a chore while building excitement.
- Keep the gifts small: Don't let St. Nick Day become "Christmas 2.0." Stick to sweets, fruit, and small tokens to keep the focus on the historical gesture of the saint.
- Coordinate with school: If your kids attend a school with diverse traditions, check if they celebrate on the 6th so you aren't caught off guard by "treat bags" coming home unexpectedly.