I don’t know if anyone knows or even cares. But today, December 6th, is St. Nicholas day. Yeah, the Dutch apparently transferred the practices associated with this day to Christmas. That is why we celebrate Santa Claus/St. Nick on that particular day, and not this.
So I guess I just have three questions for you all:
[ul]
[li]Did you know?[/li][li]Did you care?[/li][li]And, what are you doing for this day, if anything?[/li][/ul]
I should tell you too, where I live, Detroit, a Detroit museum used to do something special on this day, I recall. They were quite creative too, I remember. One year, they had the kids see Miss Pockets. She was Santa Claus’s secretary. Not really, they just made it up. But you have to give them credit for creativity, if nothing else.
Presently I don’t know or follow what Detroit, or anyone else, does on this day. But if you do, or know someone who does, please post.
We set out pairs of shoes by the fireplace for each of the kids and filled them with chocolate coins and candy canes. They also each got a new set of pajamas.
Strictly speaking the Netherlands celebrate St. Nicholas day on december the 5th, if I’m not mistaken. Us belgians celebrate it on the 6th.
To answer your questions:
Yes, it’s hard to avoid with some young kids. While the oldest does know it is not real, he of course plays along because he gets the presents as well.
At our home, St. Nicolas, his helper Black Pete and his horse “badweathertoday” conveniently chose the past weekend to use their masterkey (no chimney) to deliver the presents in our living room.
Today we got a chocolate St-Nicolas at lunch. I hear there will be some gifts in school to be used in class as well.
I don’t really think it’s transferring the Christmas thing as St-Nicolas is about kids getting presents because they were good, although sometimes parents also get something small. While Christmas and New years day - at least here - is more giving presents to family and friends.
It’s a pretty big deal for Eastern Christians, both Catholic and Orthodox. Several hymns are sung to St. Nicholas and he is included in every litany. My church even had a little St. Nicholas pageant done by the kids this past Sunday(weekday events are dicey for a small far-flung parish population).
ETA: He is thought of in the original sense of the holy, generous Bishop of Myra. The younger kids don’t seem to associate him with the “magic” Santa Claus who comes at Christmas.
You don’t live in Iceland, do you? The myth is that anyone who has not received new clothes before Christmas Eve shall be devoured by a monstrous beast. Not even Saint Nicholas can help you then.
My mom just stopped by and gave me a bag with candy coins, a candy bar wrapped up in a St. Nicholas wrapper (with a candy cane staff), an orange and a prayer to St. Nicholas.
She’s never done this before (I’m 39, by the way) but she’s trying to do more Catholic-y things in her old age, and wanted to do St. Nicholas treats for my nieces, so she made me a bag too.
Here in Belgium, kids celebrate both St. Nicholas Day AND Christmas .
The former is usually smaller in scale, mainly sweets, chocolates and little toys but it’s still something, a prelude to Christmas, so to speak. Its not unusual for families to spread the present-giving duties over the two days. In my family for instance, my mother’s side of the family gave us presents on 6th December and my father’s on 25th. As for my parents, they gave us a little something on St. Nicholas Day and the cooler, bigger stuff at Christmas.
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