St Nicholas Day is one of Ukrainian children's favourite holidays. On the morning of 6 December, kids look under their pillows for gifts St Nicholas has brought, and they wait all year for this little miracle. Here are St Nicholas gift ideas for children by age, traditional treats and books, how to present the gift nicely, and small gifts for adults.
Since Ukraine moved to the New Julian calendar, St Nicholas Day is celebrated on 6 December. The day before, children write letters to St Nicholas, and in the morning they find gifts under their pillow or in a boot on the windowsill. Traditionally these are sweets, honey gingerbread, tangerines and small toys. Read about the holiday's history in St Nicholas Day.
A St Nicholas gift is usually small: what matters is the sense of wonder, not the price. Ideally it matches the child's letter while leaving room for surprise.
Gift ideas for children
Toddlers will love soft toys, board books, shape sorters and blocks. Preschoolers: craft kits, building sets, St Nicholas storybooks or a story projector torch. Schoolchildren: board games, book series, science kits and detailed building sets. More ideas in gifts for girls and gifts for boys.
St Nicholas gifts for children by age
Ages 3–5: a soft toy, a lift-the-flap book, large building blocks, a modelling set, finger puppets.
Ages 6–8: a family board game, a science kit, LEGO, sticker colouring books, a winter hat with a favourite character.
Ages 9–12: a book from a popular series, a craft kit, a 500–1000 piece puzzle, skates or a sledge, a projector night-light.
On St Nicholas Day the surprise matters more than the price: a gift under the pillow on the morning of 6 December and a letter from the saint. Read about the traditions in St Nicholas Day.
To make the gift magical, wrap it in winter-print paper and add a letter from St Nicholas in different handwriting, a tangerine and a gingerbread cookie. You can hide gifts in several places and leave clues to turn the morning into a little treasure hunt.
St Nicholas gifts for adults
Adults love finding surprises on 6 December too: gingerbread and fragrant tea, a candle, warm socks, a book, a small bouquet or an arrangement of fir and cones. It's a lovely gesture for colleagues and parents. Ideas for any occasion are in our gift ideas section.
St Nicholas gifts for a husband or girlfriend
Adults exchange small wintry tokens on St Nicholas Day. For a husband — warm socks or gloves, a nice mug with coffee, a mulled wine kit, a book or hobby accessory. For a girlfriend — a throw and hot chocolate, a scented candle, a beauty advent calendar, a small winter bouquet with fir branches. Put it under the pillow — the children’s custom works just as well between adults.
St Nicholas gifts delivered in Kyiv
Want to surprise a child or loved ones? We deliver a soft toy, a basket of sweets or a small bouquet across Kyiv in time for the holiday.
On 6 December, since the switch to the New Julian calendar.
What should I give a child for St Nicholas Day?
A small toy, a book, a craft kit, sweets and honey gingerbread.
What do adults get on St Nicholas Day?
Gingerbread and tea, a candle, warm socks, a book or a small bouquet.
Where should the gift from St Nicholas go?
Under the pillow or in a boot on the windowsill.
Author: Maria Svitlovir
Graduated from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Institute of Biology and Medicine (2001). BSc in Biology, MSc in Horticulture. Writes about plants, works at a garden centre selecting and repotting plants, and contributes to plant reference guides.
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