“One of my favorite memories from the Christmas season is from St. Nicholas Day, a relatively unknown celebration here in the US. The historical evidence of St. Nicholas is somewhat sparse, but here’s what we do know. He was a bishop of Myra, Asia Minor (in modern day Turkey), who lived sometime around 325 A.D. About 750 years later Italian sailors took his body from the tomb in Turkey and transported it to Italy. He is celebrated on St. Nicholas Day, December 6th, as the gift-bearing saint who paves the way for the greatest gift of all: Jesus. There are many lovely myths and stories of St. Nick’s generosity to children and the disenfranchised, which is why anonymous good deeds are associated with him, and hence “Secret Santas.”
Our family celebration was inspired by the book To Dance with God, by Gertrud Mueller Nelson. The first week of December, we’d make gingerbread men, cut out to look like Bishop Nicholas. Here’s the poster board shape we’ve used every year, and still do!
Then, early on the morning of December 6th (about 5:00am), I’d set a lovely table and light candles all throughout the house. I would make hot chocolate and place a cookie on each plate.
Then it was time to turn off all of the lights in the entire house and carry a single candle to guide me as I woke up the family and brought them downstairs to see what St. Nick had left. Next to their plates, the kids would find the first small gift of the season. (Well maybe not always so small!)
But, it wasn’t just the present they looked forward to. It was the whole experience. When Rebecca was old enough, she took over the job of making the Gingerbread Men and waking us up.
We would sit at the table and talk about how we could do kind things for others over the days leading up to Christmas. There were many years when my children would tell people that St. Nicholas Day was their favorite part of the Christmas season–better than Christmas Day itself. They might still say that if you ask them! Now the kids are grown, but I still like to make the cookies to enjoy, if not for breakfast, at least for dessert. I hope Rebecca and Greg continue the tradition when they have kids! I think they will.”
~ Bobbi
HAPPY ST. NICHOLAS DAY!
