Children in Ukraine do believe in St. Nicolas and in small wonder of placing small gifts, toys, or books into symbolic shoes or stockings or even under their pillows. Every child who behaved during the year will receive a present from St. Nicolas on this day. Nowadays it has become traditional to present gifts to every child.
St. Nicholas, Sviatyij Mykolai, comes to Ukraine on December 6th by Catholic or on 19th by the Orthodox Julian calendar. It is a happy day for all children. Today many Ukrainian churches have St. Nicholas celebrations to help children understand that the holy man Nicholas came long before Santa Claus.
Little is known about him except that he was bishop of Myra (now in Turkey) in the 4th century, and that he was probably born in Patara (near modern Kalamaki, Turkey). Legends of his charity, especially toward children, and of miracles associated with him, soon spread throughout Europe.
