The Winter Journey of St. Mykolai

His story reaches back to the 4th century, when a kind bishop from the city of Myra in Lycia supported children and left in their hearts a sense of protection. People remembered these deeds, and over the centuries Mykolai became the hero of winter tales in many countries.

In Ukrainian villages, they once said he walked along quiet paths, listening to children’s dreams. In Halychyna, a little boot was placed under the pillow. In Podillia, an apple or a walnut was left on the table as a sign of gratitude. In Polissia, children whispered special “Mykolai verses.”

In the 18th and 19th centuries, St. Mykolai brought dried apples, honey gingerbread, and nuts. At that time, his familiar image took shape — a gentle elder with a long white beard, who comes at night and brings peace and a sense of wonder into the home.

And here begins another branch of this great story. In distant Europe, in the land of windmills, lived the figure of Sinterklaas — the same St. Nicholas, only in the Dutch tradition. Sailors carried his legend to America, where, among snowy towns, it blossomed in a new form. That is how cheerful Santa Claus was born — a kindly figure with a white beard who travels with reindeer. At his heart remains the same essence: generosity, warmth, and gifts for children.

In the 20th century, some customs faded in Ukraine, but the tale returned in the 1990s. School celebrations appeared again, charity events revived, and warm December mornings brought surprises under the pillow. St. Mykolai once more became a symbol of gentle care and heartfelt support.

Now, December 6 begins with the honey scent of gingerbread and a soft glow awakening on windowsills. Children find gifts, adults remember their own winter mornings, and a wish made on this day rises lightly into the air.

Mykolai’s journey continues wherever there is a good intention—
in families, in warm words, and in the small acts that make winter brighter.