Order is a must

Holy cow: this duo trains Nikolos

Gerhard Haasmann (center) benefits from the course expertise of "Ober-Nikolo" Raimund Grubmüller.

(Bild: Dworak/Wiesmeyer, Grubmüller)

Beard, staff, hat, long robe and there you have it - St. Nicholas? Wrong! Once a year at the St. Nicholas seminar in Teesdorf (Lower Austria), you learn that there is much more to it than that. Krone+ spoke to the initiators about responsibility, customs and their appearances between laughing and crying children's eyes.

It is freezing cold, already dark, street lamps are burning, Christmas lights are shining - and eyes are sparkling. The children and their parents are eagerly awaiting the guest of honor. And then he finally comes around the corner! To the clattering of hooves, a man with a fake beard drives up in a carriage - and falls down drunk in front of everyone ...