St. Nicholas Day

• St. Nicholas visits Bavarian children in early December each year.Photos.com/PhotoObjects.net/Getty Images
  
  On December 5th and 6th, St. Nicholas visits children in their homes. He carries a sack and brings a golden book with him in which is written a list of each child's sins and good deeds over the last year. St. Nicholas reads from the book and offers praise or rebuke as needed. Afterwards, he treats the children to dried fruit, nuts, chocolate, lebkuchen (a German type of ginger bread) and toys from his sack. The legend of St. Nicholas is closely related to the legend of Santa Claus, who brings children gifts on Christmas Eve as they sleep.
  
  

Krampus

• Krampus trails behind St. Nicholas when he travels to children's houses in early December. He is as dark and frightening as St. Nicholas is kindly. This ghastly devil, often portrayed with horns and covered with hair, sometimes carries whips and chains and is meant to inspire naughty children to behave better over the next year.
  
  

Klöpfelnächte

• Bavarian children take part in the ancient observance of Klöpfelnächte on the three Thursdays before Christmas. During this time, they dress as shepherds and travel door-to-door singing songs for people. They also ask blessings for the homeowner's upcoming harvest times. As a reward, the homeowners give the children monetary gifts to donate to charity.
  
  

The Feast of St. Luzia

• An old Bavarian custom, which disappeared in the 1850s but has recently been revived, centers around the Feast of St. Luzia on December 13. Children build little wooden houses and cover the windows with colored paper. They place candles under their houses and sit them on rafts. On December 13, the children take their houses, or Luzienhäusl, to the parish church where they are blessed and their candles are lit. Afterwards, all of the houses are set afloat in the river. This practice is said to be an offering to protect the village from flooding.
  
  

Easter

• During the week between Palm Sunday and Easter, Bavarian children scurry around their villages and gather moss to make a nest for the Easter Bunny (or Osterhase).
  
  

Oktoberfest

• Oktoberfest in Munich includes something for everyone.Comstock Images/Comstock/Getty Images
  
  Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany, conjures up images of frothy beers and raucous celebrations. The celebration, in fact, is huge and includes rides and games for children of all ages. Both adults and children often dress in traditional garb.