In Czech homes, the St Nicholas parcel tends to be mainly a question of volume – a mountain of chocolate, a tangerine and a piece of symbolic coal. But St Nicholas gifts for children can look different. A few small things that last longer than until Christmas often bring more joy than another kilo of sweets.
How to put the parcel together
The rule of three. A combination of one sweet treat, one practical little item and one piece of fruit or some nuts works well. The parcel is then not a uniform mass of sugar, and the child finds more than one thing in it that catches their interest.
Quantity doesn't decide. Especially for younger children, the handing over is the experience itself – searching for the parcel, the stocking by the window, the storytelling. The contents come second, and four things work just as well as fifteen.
Think about the rest of December. St Nicholas Day is nineteen days before Christmas Eve, when Czech children receive their Christmas presents. A big haul at the start of December reduces the impact of the Christmas one – and most families then respond by going bigger at Christmas too. A smaller St Nicholas parcel is a more sensible start.
🎁 Little things that last longer than chocolate. Magnets, bookmarks, keyrings and fairy-tale characters from a Czech sheltered workshop.
Browse our range for childrenSix ideas for the parcel
1. A fairy-tale character
For pre-schoolers, the most rewarding item on the whole list. A wooden fairy-tale character becomes part of play on the very first evening and lasts for years. Unlike plastic figures from promotional offers, it won't break or disappear within a week.
Giving one character each year works well. After five years the child has a collection and remembers when they received each one.
2. Fridge magnets
A small thing that the child uses every day and sees every morning. Wooden magnets with animal or letter motifs are also great for early learning – for a pre-schooler they help with recognising animals, for a schoolchild with building words.
3. A money box
A gift with a bit more meaning. A wooden money box is a good start for a child who is beginning to get pocket money, and also a lovely object to put on a shelf.
If you add a few coins, the gift comes with both contents and container – and the child learns something that will come in handy sooner or later.
4. A bookmark
For schoolchildren who read, or should. A wooden bookmark lasts much longer than a paper one and can be paired with a book – a combination that works brilliantly for St Nicholas.
5. A Christmas tree ornament
A clever move that links St Nicholas with Advent. The child receives an ornament and hangs it on the tree or on branches in a vase themselves. In a few years they have their own set of ornaments that they chose.
6. Pencils and pencil case extras
A practical option for schoolchildren. Wooden pencils, a sharpener or a keyring for a school bag are things you'd buy anyway – this time they just turn up in the parcel instead of at the stationer's.
A tip for the handover: For younger children, a home delivery works better than a visit from St Nicholas with the devil (in the Czech tradition he is accompanied by an angel and a devil). A stocking or shoe by the window, a parcel in it in the morning – and no fear. If you do go to a St Nicholas visit, talk to your child beforehand and let them decide whether they want to. A frightened child will remember only the unpleasant part of St Nicholas.
A little context on the tradition
St Nicholas Day falls on 6 December, but the gifts are traditionally given the evening before. In 2026, 5 December falls on a Saturday, so the St Nicholas visits and home gift-giving will take place at the weekend – which is convenient for families with children.
The Czech version of the festival, with the trio of St Nicholas, an angel and a devil, is quite distinctive in a European comparison. In many countries St Nicholas comes alone or with a helper, but the combination of reward and threat in one evening is a Czech invention that has held on remarkably tenaciously.
Coal and potatoes as a symbolic punishment used to be a matter of course. Today many parents leave them out, because small children may find them upsetting. If you do use them, I'd recommend it more as a joke for older children than as a real punishment – and certainly not as the only contents of the parcel.
Gifts for several children at once
In a larger family or at nursery, there's a different question: how to give gifts to ten children without spending a fortune or leaving anyone short-changed.
It works well to give everyone the same thing, just in a different colour or with a different motif. Children compare, and they notice a difference in value immediately – a difference in motif, on the other hand, they take as getting something of their own.
Small wooden items are rewarding for group gifts precisely because they can be bought in quantity while not looking like promotional merchandise. A magnet or bookmark with a different animal for each child works better than ten identical bags of sweets.
A decoration is not a toy. Most small wooden products – magnets, figures, ornaments, keyrings – are decorative items, not toys intended for small children. For a child under three, choose only pieces that are explicitly marked as suitable for that age, and with any product check how the surface has been treated. A simple rule applies: anything that fits through a toilet roll tube poses a choking or swallowing risk for a child under three. Magnets should always be kept out of reach of small children – swallowing a magnet is a serious medical emergency requiring medical help.
Overview by age
| Age | What works | What to watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Under 3 | Only large pieces explicitly intended for this age | Small parts, decorations instead of toys, a visit with the devil |
| 3 to 6 | Characters, magnets, a Christmas tree ornament | Excessive amounts of sweets |
| 6 to 10 | Bookmark, money box, pencil case extras | A gift that feels like school supplies |
| Over 10 | Keyring, a small piece of jewellery, pocket money | Childish motifs they've outgrown |
And one note on ordering: if you want the little gifts at home by 5 December, order a few days in advance. Early December is already one of the busier periods and delivery takes longer than in quieter months.
From our workshop
One more option is worth mentioning, which has become more common in recent years: a gift without gifts. Instead of a parcel, some parents plan a shared evening on 5 December – baking, a trip to a St Nicholas event or lighting the Advent wreath for the first time. For children who already have plenty of toys, it works surprisingly well.
Frequently asked questions
When is St Nicholas Day in 2026?
St Nicholas Day falls on 6 December, but the gifts are traditionally given the evening before, on 5 December. In 2026, 5 December falls on a Saturday, so St Nicholas visits and home gift-giving will take place at the weekend.
What goes into a St Nicholas parcel apart from sweets?
A combination of one sweet treat, one practical little item and one piece of fruit or some nuts works well. Good small items include wooden magnets, bookmarks, keyrings, Christmas tree ornaments or small toys. The parcel doesn't have to be big.
Should children be given coal and potatoes?
It depends on the family and the child's age. Symbolic coal used to be part of the tradition; today many parents leave it out, because small children may find it upsetting. If you use it, we recommend it more as a joke for older children than as a punishment.
How do I explain St Nicholas to younger children so they aren't scared?
Talk about it in advance and without scaring them. Many children are mainly bothered by the devil – it helps to explain that these are people in costumes and to let the child decide whether they want to go to a St Nicholas visit at all. A home delivery without a visit is a perfectly good option.
How much should I spend on a St Nicholas parcel?
There's no reason to go high – St Nicholas is the prelude, not the main event. Roughly €5 to €15 per child is plenty, and a small item the child actually uses makes more of an impression than a big parcel. Christmas is less than three weeks away.
Which AMADEA products suit a St Nicholas parcel?
Above all wooden magnets, bookmarks, keyrings, money boxes, fairy-tale characters and small ornaments. We make everything by hand from native woods in our sheltered workshop.
🌳 Gifts that will still be around in spring. Small wooden items for children from a Czech sheltered workshop.
Go to our range for childrenAuthor: Martin Portych – specialist in wooden products, gift advice and shop content
Editorial policy: Our content is based on the day-to-day practice of the AMADEA shop, the real needs of our customers and a commitment to clear, useful and trustworthy information.