St Nicholas Day in Alsace: the 6 December Tradition
Long before Santa Claus came along, there was St Nicholas. In Alsace, 6 December is still a date children look forward to, and plenty of grown-ups too, who never quite lost their taste for a breakfast mannele.
If you’re visiting in early December, here’s what this tradition is all about, and how to enjoy it during your stay.
Who was St Nicholas?
St Nicholas was a 4th-century bishop of Myra, in Asia Minor, and is seen as the patron saint of children. According to the City of Strasbourg, he has been honoured in Alsace and the Rhine valley since the 11th century.
He is also celebrated in Lorraine, northern France, Belgium and the Netherlands. In neighbouring Lorraine he is the patron saint of the whole region, and the basilica of Saint-Nicolas-de-Port keeps one of his relics.
The feast falls on 6 December, or the nearest weekend. It is not a public holiday. In 2026, 6 December is a Sunday.
How Alsace celebrates
Shoes by the door
On the evening of the 5th, children leave their shoes by the door, sometimes with a little treat for the saint and his donkey. In the morning the shoes are filled with chocolates, mandarins and mannele.
A donkey, not a sleigh
Forget reindeer. St Nicholas travels with a donkey, which either carries the presents or carries the saint himself.
Hans Trapp, the bogeyman
St Nicholas never travels alone. He is followed by a dark figure known in Alsace as Hans Trapp (elsewhere in France, the “Père Fouettard”). Dressed in animal skins, with a sack and a chain, his job is to scold children who have misbehaved. He is said to be based on a real 15th-century lord, Hans von Trotha.
Good to know Hans Trapp can genuinely frighten little ones. Reassure them: in the end, everyone gets a treat.
The mannele: a brioche with a story
The mannele (also spelled mannala or manala, meaning “little man”) is a soft brioche shaped like a small figure, plain or with chocolate chips. Alsatians eat it for breakfast or an afternoon snack, ideally with hot chocolate.
According to the City of Strasbourg, the little figures recall the three children St Nicholas is said to have rescued from a wicked butcher’s salting tub, a legend every Alsatian schoolchild knows.
In the past, St Nicholas gifts were mostly fruit, nuts and gingerbread. Today the classics are mandarins, chocolates and gingerbread.
You’ll find mannele in Alsatian bakeries in early December. For the rest of the season’s treats, read our Alsace Christmas food guide.
Where to meet St Nicholas
St Nicholas visits most towns and villages in Alsace, often on the weekend closest to 6 December, with lantern parades, songs and sweets for the children.
The 2026 programmes have not been published yet. As an example, in 2025 the official “Strasbourg, Capital of Christmas” programme listed a “St Nicholas Village” on 6 December. Check noel.strasbourg.eu and the local tourist offices in late November.
St Nicholas weekend 2026: our ideas
The weekend of 5–6 December 2026 falls right in the middle of Christmas market season, which makes it a perfect family outing:
- Ribeauvillé’s medieval Christmas market opens on two weekends only: 5–6 and 12–13 December 2026 (Saturday 10am–7pm, Sunday 10am–6pm).
- Kaysersberg opens Friday to Sunday only, and the weekend of 4–6 December is one of them (10am–8pm).
- Strasbourg’s market opens on Friday 27 November. Bear in mind weekends are the busiest time.
- Colmar is open every day from 23 November to 29 December 2026.
A sample day by van: leave Strasbourg in the morning, Kaysersberg for lunch, Ribeauvillé in the afternoon, back at your hotel in the evening, with no parking to hunt for. See our Christmas wine-village tour and our Alsace Christmas markets guide.
Good to know Our Mercedes van seats up to 8 passengers, ideal for a family with grandparents and children, and if you have a pushchair, tell us when you book. Our drivers speak English, French and Arabic.
Plan your outing
For a ride to the markets on St Nicholas weekend, or a day out in the villages:
- Get your price in 30 seconds with the simulator
- Or book online.
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