In a playful announcement to mark St. Nicholas’ Day—which is a day of gift-giving in Poland—the Ministry of Internal Affairs reassured citizens that potential impersonators will be kept away from the real Santa Claus.
“I guarantee that our law enforcement will ensure St. Nicholas a safe stay in Poland, and the special services will make sure Father Frost doesn’t impersonate him,” said spokesperson Jacek Dobrzyński.
Father Frost—known in Polish as Dziadek Mróz and in Russian as Ded Moroz—is the Russian counterpart of Santa Claus, widely associated with New Year’s celebrations in eastern Slavic traditions.
The feast of St. Nicholas, falling on December 6, is an occasion celebrated across Poland. The Saint—broadly the equivalent of Santa Claus—brings presents to children on this day, and in schools and workplaces, colleagues exchange gifts with one another.
More presents are shared later in the month on Christmas Eve. The figure delivering the gifts that evening depends on the region: in swathes of Poland, it is once again the hard-working St. Nicholas, but it can also be an Angel, Baby Jesus or the ‘Gwiazdor,’ the so-called ‘Christmas Star Man.’
The Operational Command of the Armed Forces announced that Polish airspace is fully prepared to welcome Santa’s sleigh. "The skies are ready, and we’re waiting for the first sleigh to appear on the radar," read their social media post on St. Nicholas’ Day.
“The magic of Christmas starts with cooperation—even in the skies!” the Command added, highlighting the importance of teamwork during the holiday season.
