St. Nicholas, Sviatyj Mykolaj, comes to Ukraine on December 19th by the Orthodox Julian calendar. It is a happy day with visiting and sleigh rides. Schools have plays telling Nicholas stories and the saint visits local churches. Dressed as a Byzantine bishop, the good saint is often accompanied by angels. He quizzes children on their catechism before giving gifts. St. Nicholas Day is the main day for gift-giving, though gifts are also becoming associated with Christmas Day. Today many Ukrainian churches have St. Nicholas celebrations to help children understand that the holy man Nicholas came long before Santa Claus.
St. Nicholas history in Ukraine goes back to the 10th and 11th centuries. In churches, his icons are prominently placed on the iconostas, usually next to Jesus, the Mother of God, or the patron saint of the church. His icons were found also in nearly every home. In the mountains of western Ukraine where the Hutzels named the four seasons of the year after saints, winter honors St. Nicholas.
Ukrainians have Saint Nicholas as the patron saint of children since olden days. He makes us believe our most cherished dreams will come true one day, endows our hearts with kind feelings and inspires us to do good.
This bright and joyful holiday is the first holiday coming to us as a good winter fairy-tale announcing the approaching of Christmas and New Year. It gives us confidence that our lifelong dreams will come true, it also gives us hope and love, and inspires us to good deeds and mercy towards others, Ukrainians like Saint Nicholas as a wise patron and mentor always helping all kind-hearted people.