DIY gift ideas for St. Nicholas Day

The story of Saint Nicholas, and especially our present-day Saint Nicholas tradition, has its origins in the holy bishop of Myra, who was baptised with the name Nicholas. According to tradition, Nicholas was a very good person: merciful, kind-hearted and selfless. This was shown by the fact that he is said to have donated the considerable inheritance from his parents entirely to the poor.

There are countless myths and legends surrounding Saint Nicholas. With regard to today's Saint Nicholas Day tradition, the story of a very poor man plays an important role. To finance the weddings of his three daughters, they were almost forced into prostitution at the marketplace. The rescuer in their time of need, Saint Nicholas, prevented this terrible fate by throwing gold down the chimney. The three daughters found it in their socks and boots, which were hanging by the chimney to dry. The weddings were saved!
Our Saint Nicholas Day tradition was born from this legend. Every year on 6 December, children who have behaved well are said to receive gifts from Saint Nicholas in their boots, shoes or socks.
We think Saint Nicholas gifts are wonderful: small heartfelt surprises in between, and of course a way to bring pre-Christmas cheer to life. These little gift ideas are also ideal as handmade Secret Santa gifts.
To help you find the right present at first glance for the person you want to surprise, we have put together our Saint Nicholas gift finder with plenty of ideas. Whether Saint Nicholas gifts for grandma and grandpa, a small token for your best friend or DIY Saint Nicholas gifts for men, let yourself be inspired. We hope you have lots of fun knitting, crocheting and crafting. And, of course, giving gifts.

Are you looking for a very special Saint Nicholas Day gift for children? Saint Nicholas Day is the perfect opportunity to give children something crafty. With the Gründl knitting dolly, the matching knitting dolly craft instructions and the Gründl Amigurumi set, children can get creative while also developing their motor skills. Colourful wool with a learning factor that is fun.
For a tidy pencil collection in the children's room, we recommend the pencil basket made from our thick yarn Happy Tube. With large needles, it is knitted in no time and looks great.
Felted, festive and full of tradition: the felted Saint Nicholas boot is a classic every year. Filled with fruit, nuts and little surprises, it will make every child's eyes light up.
At Christmas, the season of affection and love, cuddly toys are a must. What could fit Saint Nicholas Day better than our Santa Claus amigurumi? A crocheted Saint Nicholas made from Filzwolle uni, waiting for long cuddles with his sweet little button nose. Another real highlight is, of course, a favourite animal crocheted as an amigurumi. Filled with sand, it makes an ideal doorstop; filled with toy stuffing, it becomes a true cuddly friend. In our patterns you will find many free amigurumi ideas.

Practical, classic and heartfelt. What handmade Saint Nicholas gifts for men could be more fitting than knitted socks for men, lovingly made hats and knitted gloves? Discover our patterns with beautiful knitting ideas for men: sock patterns.

For everyone who already has warm feet: we also have cuddly-soft knitting patterns for hats and scarves. Whether a loop with matching men's hat, a four-colour men's scarf or a mottled men's hat with matching scarf, you have the choice and will be giving a unique Saint Nicholas gift at the same time.

Here comes the ultimate Saint Nicholas gift idea that is sure to make every woman happy: a lovingly chosen Gründl gift voucher for wool. With it, she can order exactly the yarns that have always been on her wish list. And because wool makes people happy, you will surely feel happy giving it too. If you already know which wool will be well received, a Saint Nicholas boot filled with wool also looks really good.

Saint Nicholas Day is a family celebration, and the perfect time for loving gift ideas for grandma and grandpa. How about a beautiful hand-knitted neckerchief for grandma, or a handsome men's scarf for grandpa? Grandparents are sure to be delighted with hand-knitted socks too. In our sock collection of free patterns, you will find plenty of colourful stockings, plain socks and felted slippers.

Alternatively, you can give sock yarn as a gift. In our online shop you will find plenty of wool in addition to stocking yarns: from fluffy to shiny, from smooth to shaggy. No matter in which form you give wool, it is always a wonderful gift idea for the whole family.
A handmade crocheted key ring also makes a quick DIY idea for a small Saint Nicholas gift.

If you want to give your best friend a small Saint Nicholas surprise that is not too big but still comes from the heart, don't miss these DIY Saint Nicholas gift ideas: Key rings always work. In a double pack, one for your friend and one for you, the handmade accessories become a sign of your friendship. Our crocheted heart key rings are quick to make and bring so much joy.
Or how about a Saint Nicholas doorstop? This amigurumi made from felting wool will gladly hold the door open for your friend at any time. Filled with toy stuffing, it is also a small cuddly friend during the Christmas season. If you are looking for packaging ideas for homemade biscuits, our crocheted snowmen filled with homemade biscuits are a wonderful Saint Nicholas gift idea. With their cheeky smile, the handmade gift jars spread good cheer and, above all, Christmas spirit. At the same time, the jars filled with treats are also ideal as Secret Santa gifts.
Not to forget: Christmas decoration for Saint Nicholas Day is another gift idea for your friend. Crocheted, shimmering lanterns create a festive atmosphere. A gift that warms every heart.

You see each other every day. Colleagues are like a second family, because with a full-time job we spend more time at work than at home. Time for small Saint Nicholas gifts for colleagues to bring them joy. We think heart-shaped key rings are a thoughtful gesture for Saint Nicholas Day. Tied to a chocolate Saint Nicholas, the colour matches the chocolate beautifully and it becomes a lovely year-round reminder of the best colleague. Our crocheted gift jars shaped like snowmen and filled with homemade biscuits are also very popular. Doubly irresistible, in fact: both the cute look and the delicious contents are hard to resist.

Gifts for employees are a symbol of appreciation. And admittedly, who would not be happy about a small present from management during the pre-Christmas season? Enjoyment for the soul, treats for connoisseurs. A good bottle of wine packaged in a self-felted gift bag is a fantastic gift idea to delight employees.
Felted Saint Nicholas boots filled with plenty of treats are also warmly welcomed by the team. They make pre-Christmas breaks with speculoos, mandarins and the like extra special.

Once the perfect DIY Saint Nicholas gift is finished, it should of course be wrapped in a way that really shows it off. Handmade gifts deserve handmade packaging, full of love and attention to detail.

• Felted Saint Nicholas boots The most classic way to wrap a Saint Nicholas gift is in a felt Saint Nicholas boot. Large or small, depending on the size of the gift you can adjust the height of your boot. In our free knitting pattern, we show you how to make your own individual Christmas boot.
• Star gift tags Delicate crocheted stars that add sparkle to every gift. And that's not all: once the gift has been opened, the glittering stars become sparkling ornaments for the Christmas tree. For festive moments on Christmas Eve.
• Christmas bottle gift bag and basket Perfect for bottle gifts: spirits and wine, or a special olive oil. The handmade gift bag made from Gründl Filzwolle uni keeps all culinary treats safe and presents them beautifully. A free felting pattern for a festive Christmas basket is available to match.

You can find these and many more free Saint Nicholas knitting patterns on our website under Patterns. There you can filter the entire selection to find your favourite DIY project. Are you looking for a felting pattern? Or would you rather knit and crochet? If you are looking for a project without crochet hooks or double-pointed needles, you will also find free craft instructions in our handicraft collection. The matching wool for each Saint Nicholas project, along with haberdashery and craft accessories, is of course available in the Gründl online shop. We wish you a wonderful, magical Christmas season and a hardworking Saint Nicholas.