This is our second time around with St. Nicholas’ Day, and I feel like I’m starting to get it.  If you’re bad, Krampus comes to get you on the night of the 5th.  If you’re good, St. Nicholas visits your house while you sleep (on the night of the 5th) and you wake up on the 6th to shoes with toys and sweets in them.

Since we live in Vienna, we have seen very little of the Krampus-related festivities, because, from what I understand, that’s a much bigger deal out in the countryside.  (Which is probably good, because I think it’s the scariest and creepiest Christmas tradition I’ve ever heard of.)  But Benjamin had a lovely visit from St. Nicholas at school yesterday — the kids went out for a walk and when they came back, St. Nicholas had visited and left behind sweets, nuts and oranges for all of the children.

Then, St. Nicholas visited our house, too!  Looks like everyone in our house was good.  Well, almost!