Claim: On Saint Nicholas' feast day on December 6, children from Hungary wait for Mikulas and receive presents while children in Czech Republic and Slovakia wait for Mikulas and his two assistants to deliver presents.
Evidence: The Christmas and gift-giving season starts relatively early compared to other cultures, with the Santa-like figure, or Hungarian version of Saint Nicholas, Mikulás (or Szent Miklós) traditionally visiting the homes of Hungarian children , on the eve of Saint Nicholas Feast Day, 6 December. In the Czech Republic, Slovenia and Slovakia, Mikulás/Miklavž often comes with two assistants: a good Angel who gives out presents to good children and a "Krampusz", a mean elf, in some version a Devil, who punishes bad children. Although the role of gift-giver on Christmas Day itself is assigned to the Christ Child, on the eve of Saint Nicholas' feast day of 6 December Hungarian children traditionally place a boot on their windowsill waiting for Mikulás to come by and fill it with treats.