In France, St. Nicholas comes primarily from Alsace, Lorraine, Nord-Pas-de-Calais and Brittany. A little donkey carries baskets filled with children’s gifts and treats. The whole family gets ready for the saint’s arrival on December 6, with grandparents telling stories about the saint. The most popular one is about three children who wandered away and got lost. Cold and hungry, they were lured by a wicked butcher into his shop where he attacked them and salted them away in a large tub. Through the intervention of St. Nicholas, the three boys were restored and returned to their families. This story led to St. Nicholas being recognized as the protector of children. At school, children learn St. Nicholas songs and poems and draw and paint St. Nicholas pictures and make crafts. St. Nicholas visits nursery schools, giving children chocolates and sometimes a small gift.
