Overview
- Across Germany and the Alpine region, children set cleaned shoes out on December 5 for small gifts like chocolate figures, nuts and fruit placed overnight for St. Nicholas Day.
- Regional companions feature prominently, with Krampus, Perchten and Klausen events scheduled across Bavaria and the Allgäu, including listed evening runs on December 5–6.
- Local celebrations drew strong turnout despite rain, such as the Krudenburg Nikolaus parade in Hünxe that gathered about 350 participants with music, lanterns and gift bags.
- Modern practice emphasizes gentler visits and inclusivity, with women portraying Nikolaus in Austria and focusing on blessings and compliments rather than punitive elements.
- Traditional weather sayings tied to St. Nicholas are widely cited, yet the German Weather Service cautions that such folk rules are not reliable for forecasting.