by Magdalena Stefan of Alexanderhausen - translated by Diana Lambing

      The best time at the convent was celebrating St. Nicholas Day, then every child received a present. ‘Nikolo’ was dressed like a bishop. He wore a chasuble, a bishop’s mitre and he held a crosier in his hand. ‘Krampus’ (St. Nicholas’s companion) wore a track-suit with a long tail, a mask with horns, a red tongue and held a cane in his hand. As they entered, we sang ‘Lieber heiliger Nikolaus, oh kehre bei uns ein’ (Dear St. Nicholas, please come into our house). ‘Nikolo’ had a big book in which there was something written about every single child. ‘Krampus’ carried a sack full of presents on his back. Every child received a present and ‘Nikolo’ made a speech in which he gave every child a warning. We received the presents with a bending of the knee and returned to our places. When they left, we prayed and then queued up ready to go to bed. Then someone opened the door from behind and ‘Krampus’ ran towards us and tormented us with his cane, but we quickly ran away from him. I can still remember the rhyme that ‘Nikolo’ recited.