If the smell of tangerines is in the air and peanut shells are scattered across the table, December 6th is probably not far away. Traditionally, children in particular are given sweets on the day of remembrance of Saint Nicholas of Myra. “For many Lower Austrians, St. Nicholas Day is an important purchasing occasion and a good sales opportunity for local retailers,” says Franz Kirnbauer, chairman of the trade division at the Lower Austrian Chamber of Commerce.
Franz Kirnbauer, chairman of the trade division at the WKNÖ, is pleased with the rush of gifts on December 6th.
Photo:
Tanya Wagner
In Lower Austria, people prefer to give away sweets on St. Nicholas Day
On the occasion of the holiday, KMU Research Austria collected figures to find out how people in the country celebrate the holiday. Three quarters of parents said they would make children under ten years old happy with a small gift. About a quarter of the Lower Austrians surveyed gave their partner a gift.
On average, donors spend around 40 euros on their gifts. That’s around ten euros more than last year. By far the most common thing that ends up in Santa’s bag is sweets. Toys and books are on the list of the most popular gifts. The majority buy the gifts in brick-and-mortar stores. Two out of ten respondents use online providers.
One in ten people see Santa Claus in disguise
In addition to the classic filling of boots, which takes place on December 6th for four out of ten people, there are other customs that people in Lower Austria observe. 14 percent eat together on Remembrance Day, 12 percent of those surveyed pay a visit from Santa Claus in disguise and the same number of respondents bake cookies or other festive confectionery.
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