It is interesting to take an account of the meeting of children with Mikulas or St Nicholas before Christmas. This meeting usually takes place on December 6th, two weeks before the actual Christmas. St Nicholas meets the children in the guise of a bishop and he dresses in robes, carries a staff in one hand and a bag full of gifts for the children in another. One can easily identify him from the red mitter on his head. The bishop is accompanied by the “Devil”. The Devil is actually a small boy who dress up in black costume and appears to be quite frightening with his horns and long tail. His job is to smack the naughty children with switch made out of dry twigs. And good children are rewarded with toys, sweets and other gift items.
|
Christmas Celebration in Hungary begins on 
