On DECEMBER 6th in Hungary, children anticipate a visit from Saint Nick, put their boots out for him to fill with sweets - nuts and fruits, small toys, and maybe a "switch," indicating that perhaps they have not been so good and deserve to have their rear ends hit with this.
To Americans who are sensitive to child abuse this can seem cruel in itself but I think many of us were hit by parents when we were children who had been hit by their parents as well.
Saint Nick has been tipped off by the parents as to if their child has been "naughty or nice" and so some children get both the switch and the gifts.
