Sahamamama Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 I just read a post that lead me to a blog that mentioned Saint Nicholas Day (and yes, I should be fixing the girls' breakfast). BUT I wanted to find out more about this holiday. Who can enlighten me? What are your traditions? What do you do on this day? Thanks! :bigear: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2squared Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 We looooove St Nick's Day! As a Catholic, it is one of the feast days we celebrate every year. We read books about the actual St Nicholas, and the kids leave their shoes out on the eve of St Nick's Day. In the morning they wake up to treats in their shoes. The treats vary depending on my energy level and budget. Next year we will be making the traditional St Nick cookies and other treats and surprising friends and family with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abbeyej Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 There's a fantastic resource for this: http://www.stnicholascenter.org Lots of information on the original St Nicholas stories and legends, bits about different ways St Nicholas is celebrated around the world, recipes, activities, book suggestions... We always bake St Nicholas bread (the kids help shape their St Nicholas), we talk about the real St Nicholas (as opposed to Santa -- I don't disparage Santa to the kids, but we talk about how he's simply a story and tradition that has grown out of the historical St Nicholas), the kids find chocolate coins in their shoes (and occasionally a simple gift like new slippers or a knitted hat I've made for them), and most years we've invited friends over to share in our St Nicholas feast (and that's when we put the chocolate coins out, so everyone gets some). This year dh was out of town (it was this past Sunday), so during the previous school week we made St Nicholas bread and told the stories and had chocolate coins with the other family we school with part time... The kids do get stockings on Christmas, but we've always talked about how they relate back to the stories told about St Nicholas, and they know we fill them -- though sometimes they have chosen to pretend a bit about Santa, they've never really *believed*... It's still delightful for us to play the game of Santa, and I'm comfortable with that as long as they also know the real story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H.S. Burrow Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 There's a fantastic resource for this: http://www.stnicholascenter.org Lots of information on the original St Nicholas stories and legends, bits about different ways St Nicholas is celebrated around the world, recipes, activities, book suggestions... We always bake St Nicholas bread (the kids help shape their St Nicholas), we talk about the real St Nicholas (as opposed to Santa -- I don't disparage Santa to the kids, but we talk about how he's simply a story and tradition that has grown out of the historical St Nicholas), the kids find chocolate coins in their shoes (and occasionally a simple gift like new slippers or a knitted hat I've made for them), and most years we've invited friends over to share in our St Nicholas feast (and that's when we put the chocolate coins out, so everyone gets some). This year dh was out of town (it was this past Sunday), so during the previous school week we made St Nicholas bread and told the stories and had chocolate coins with the other family we school with part time... The kids do get stockings on Christmas, but we've always talked about how they relate back to the stories told about St Nicholas, and they know we fill them -- though sometimes they have chosen to pretend a bit about Santa, they've never really *believed*... It's still delightful for us to play the game of Santa, and I'm comfortable with that as long as they also know the real story. Very cool website! Thanks for sharing. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlefurfamily Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 We read a story from the St. Nicholas Center website. The children leave their shoes on the porch and when they awake, they find a little package ~ contains a small gift, clementines, nuts, and chocolate gold coins. This year we added that the children leave a bag of unwanted toys on the porch as well ( which my husband picks up on the way to work and takes to Goodwill) . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomOfOneFunOne Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 Ohh, we love St. Nicholas, the patron saint of children. I see you've read his story and have links to read more so I'll just tell you our traditions. The evening before we put out our stockings, fill a bowl with oats and carrots (for his horse), and leave out cookies just b/f bed. The next morning, the morning of St. Nicholas' feast, we wake up to discover that he has acutally been in out house!!! The stockings are filled with baby socks and gold coins (Sacagawea or president dollars), chocolate coins, and a couple of necessary items and a fun item. All the St. Nicholas decorations have been put around the living room, the cookies have been eaten, and when we run to the door to look out, the oats and carrots have been eaten (in a very messy fashion). We then go back to our stockings and take turns getting things out and talking about how much we needed those things (or wanted) and get excited. We do our Advent prayers then and also some special prayers for the day. Later in the day, we bake either speculaas or St. Nick's bread or some other sweet and we have a nice dinner. After dark, we put the gold coins in the baby socks. We drive them over to the Madonna House (home for unwed mothers in crisis pregnancy) and drop them on the porch. We knock very loudly then run around the corner and hide. One of the girls or staff come out and look around, call out the other girls, make a big deal, and go back in (b/c they've been tipped off that something like that will happen)while we crouch at the corner with our mouths covered trying not to laugh out loud and when the door closes we dash to the car where Dad is waiting to be the get-away driver. We come home and have hot chocolate and rejoice and pray some more. We just love the feast of St. Nicholas! We generally get necessaries in our stockings and one fun/niceish thing. I got some lipstick, stockings, a small brush to carry in my purse, and a scarf. My husband got shave cream, toothpaste, dental floss, et c. just b/c he happened to be running out of all those at just this time this year and really needed them. My girl got some stationery, socks, a few tiny containers of moon sand, stick on nails, and a new toothbrush. We all got one small chocolate santa, gold coins (but my daughter got most of those) a few chocolate coins, and a couple pairs of baby socks. We usually get clementines too but somehow I dropped the ball on that this year. Also, this year, my girl is in a play so Sunday was gobbled up by that and we didn't do our baking. We've been doing this for 10 years and just love it!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KristineinKS Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 When I was a little girl, visiting my [German] grandparents, I would place my shoes out for St. Nicholas to fill with treats - chocolate coins and an orange are what I remember the most, but I'm pretty sure there were cookies or some other chocolates involved as well (if not in my shoes, then for coffee hour). My kids have generally done the same thing, we save stockings for Christmas. I posted a few of my plans here. Essentially we had a "feast" for coffee hour - a nice spread of baked goods, with candy cane hot cocoa. We read "The Legend of St. Nicholas" by Demi & listened to a "Legends of St. Nicholas" by Anonymous 4. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 In the area that I grew up, pretty much everyone was visited by St. Nick. :) We put out our stockings (no stocking on Christmas), and in the morning they were filled and waiting for us. I always received the traditional orange and some candy. I usually also received something fairly useful, like a fun pair of socks or new headband, and something fun, like a paperback book or small toy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TammyinTN Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 We do it and the kids love it..even the 19 year old. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H.S. Burrow Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 We've never celebrated St. Nicholas Day - in fact, I had never heard of it until today - but I like what I've learned and would like to incorporate St. Nicholas Day into our plans next year. But I have a question: Is this day always celebrated on December 6th the way that Christmas is always celebrated on December 25th? Thanks! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melora in NC Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 Yes, it is always on Dec. 6. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sahamamama Posted December 8, 2009 Author Share Posted December 8, 2009 We've never celebrated St. Nicholas Day - in fact, I had never heard of it until today - but I like what I've learned and would like to incorporate St. Nicholas Day into our plans next year. But I have a question: Is this day always celebrated on December 6th the way that Christmas is always celebrated on December 25th? Thanks! :) :iagree: I'm the OP who asked the question, and I, too would love to begin celebrating this day! Quick question for those of you who've been doing this for years: If you were just starting out with this -- no tradition in your family or community or anything -- how would you start? What are the "essentials" and how would you begin to build this into your own family tradition? Do you have to be Roman Catholic to do this (I'm not trying to sound stupid, I'm just really curious)? Also, one of the posters mentioned "St. Nick decorations." Where do I get those? :D Thanks so much to everyone who responded to this question. It's been fun and exciting to read about a tradition that, for most of you, is old and comfortable (like a favorite sweater), but for us, is completely new. I had never even heard of this before today, so I'm learning. Too bad that we missed out on it this year, but next year we are celebrating! Thanks for all your advice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MyLittleWonders Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 This was our first year celebrating St. Nicholas' day. We are not Catholic, though we love to read stories of the Saints. Our favorites are St. Francis and St. Nicholas. The boys have heard stories about him off and on this year, and we've talked a bit about why he acted the way he did and why he is honored as a Saint. That said, Saturday night (the 5th), we read the story about how he gave the gold necessary for the dowries for the girls. We talked about how he wanted to be anonymous, etc. Then, I told them that on St. Nicholas' day, children put their shoes out in hopes of a small treat. The boys were extremely excited. I had already bought gold foil-wrapped chocolate coins at Trader Joe's. When they went to bed, I put their chocolates in their shoes and they were quite excited to find them the morning of the 6th. They pretty much have decided that I put out the chocolates and that dh and I are Santa, but they love believing in the magic of it all too. Next year we will probably keep it similar in nature unless I feel inspired to make it a bit more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FairProspects Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 :iagree: I'm the OP who asked the question, and I, too would love to begin celebrating this day! Quick question for those of you who've been doing this for years: If you were just starting out with this -- no tradition in your family or community or anything -- how would you start? What are the "essentials" and how would you begin to build this into your own family tradition? Do you have to be Roman Catholic to do this (I'm not trying to sound stupid, I'm just really curious)? Also, one of the posters mentioned "St. Nick decorations." Where do I get those? :D Thanks so much to everyone who responded to this question. It's been fun and exciting to read about a tradition that, for most of you, is old and comfortable (like a favorite sweater), but for us, is completely new. I had never even heard of this before today, so I'm learning. Too bad that we missed out on it this year, but next year we are celebrating! Thanks for all your advice! You definitely do not have to be Catholic. We are Protestants and grew up Protestant. For us, the essentials are stockings, gold coins (because that's what St. Nicholas threw in windows), something warm to wear (because he gave coats to the poor), something good to eat (usually gingerbread men because St. Nicholas loved gingerbread), and something made of wood (because St. Nick used to give away carved wooden toys to children). Anything else that you choose to put in the stockings is optional (and we only do it this way because it helps remind us of what the real person did for the poor). Outside of the stockings, we find something kind to do in secret around the house in honor of St. Nick, and we do something for the poor (volunteer at a soup kitchen, organize mission or food pantry shelves or other). For St. Nicholas decorations, we look for Santa decorations that are the traditional St. Nicholas in bishop's robes with the pointed hat (often European looking or at European type stores). Also, here are some resources for younger kids that we have found valuable: Veggie Tales St. Nicholas Santa, are you for real? Saint Nicholas: The Real Story of the Christmas Legend The Legend of St. Nicholas: A Story of Christmas Giving Hope that you enjoy your St. Nicholas day traditions! It was always so fun for me to grow up with a special tradition, and I hope my kids will enjoy learning to be kind and give in secret as well! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heidi @ Mt Hope Posted December 9, 2009 Share Posted December 9, 2009 We've celebrated this day for at least the past four years with my best friend and her kids. We get together during the day, bake mini pizzas with cheese slices cut like Bishop's hats, put gold coins in the kids' shoes, read a St. Nicholas story (sometimes do coloring pages or activities), etc. For some reason, we also made marzipan fruits and veggies at our first celebration, and that has become a really important tradition with the kids. It is like playing with really yummy playdough. :) This year, we celebrated on the 7th since it was more convenient than doing it on Sunday. We also use this opportunity for the kids to exchange gifts. (Oh, and we aren't Catholic. :) ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heidi @ Mt Hope Posted December 9, 2009 Share Posted December 9, 2009 If you want to add in a fun tradition this year, try St. Lucia Day (the 13th). My kids LOVE that one, as well. We've also celebrated Las Posadas. If you are interested, I can give you some fun book recommendations and tell you what we've done to celebrate those days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sahamamama Posted December 9, 2009 Author Share Posted December 9, 2009 (PS: My son and I like the smilies you used for your three-year olds in your signature.) Thanks, Joanna. Yes, the three year olds really ARE like that. All. day. long.... I have to keep saying to myself, "I enjoy their exuberance and energy, I enjoy their exuberance and energy..." (Just wish I had some of it, KWIM?) Thanks for the laugh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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