The Père Fouettard (French for The Whipping Father) is a character who accompanies St. Nicholas in his rounds during St. Nicholas' Day (6th of December) dispensing lumps of coal and/or floggings to the naughty children while St. Nick gives gifts to the well behaved. He is known mainly in the Eastern regions of France and in the south of Belgium, although similar characters exist all over Europe. This "Whipping Father" was said to bring a whip with him to spank all of the naughty kids who misbehaved.