Catholic Activity: St. Nicholas' Visit

The children of Germany receive an exciting surprise on December 6, the feast of St. Nicholas: the jolly saint himself, along with his threatening companion, Krampus, visits many homes to reward the good children and reprimand the naughty ones.

DIRECTIONS

On December 6th comes the great friend of children, St. Nicholas, whose visit to the home is quite a momentous event, because he is going to ask every child about his Advent efforts, his prayers, especially the daily "Angelus" and his obedience.

The good children receive apples and nuts, the bad ones are called on the carpet by "Krampus," the black fellow who accompanies the Saint. "You must change your lives, or else I will take you with me," Krampus tells them. With joyous fear they readily promise and, in the end, also get their apples and nuts.

Although Krampus will do a good bit of grunting and rattling of his heavy chains he dare not, by order of St. Nicholas, touch any of the little ones, whose tearful eyes and stammering promises prove so eloquently their readiness to amend their lives.

Activity Source: Your Home, A Church in Miniature by Compiled by The Family Life Bureau in the early 1950s, The Neumann Press, Long Prairie, Minnesota, 1994