Romania celebrates St. Nicholas (Sfantul Nicolae) on December 6 (Thursday), one of the most eagerly awaited holidays of the year by children, who receive small gifts on this occasion. Around  800,000 Romanians also celebrate  their name day on this occasion.

According to statistics of the Directorate for Personal Records Database Administration and the Ministry of Administration and the Interior some 797,000 Romanian citizens, of which over 513,000 are men,  named after St. Nicholas - Nicolae for men and Nicoleta or Nicola for women.

Saint Nicholas is the spiritual patron of Greece, Russia and of many cities in Eastern Europe. According to the tradition in Romania, St. Nicholas comes with gifts on the night between December 5 and December 6. He places the gifts in everyone’s newly polished boots, except those who have been naughty - they receive a whip or a stick instead, as a punishement.

Saint Nicholas and his miraculous gifts are one of the most well-known and best loved tales in the Christian tradition. St. Nicholas is also known as “The wonderworker”.

If it snows on December 6, the tradition says that St. Nicholas has shaken his beard so winter can start.

Ioana Toader, ioana.toader@romaia-insider.com