Saint Nicholas Day

Happy Saint Nicholas Day Everyone! December 6th is the Feast Day where we celebrate the great man behind the legend of “Santa Claus”. Saint Nicholas is so much more than the fictionalized character we see in our favorite holiday movies. He is a man who exemplified Christ and showed what it truly means to give and serve others.

Saint Nicholas of Myra was a Bishop, a minister, born in Modern Day Turkey around 270 AD/CE. He was known for giving the poor and needy, giving gifts to children, and performing miracles. One story of this is that he gave gold coins to sisters in need of a dowry. He threw them into the house and they landed in their socks drying over the fire. This is where we get the traditions of gold coins and stockings at Christmas time! We celebrate his feast day on December 6th, the day of his death to remember the Christlike example of how he gave, served, and loved others.

Why Celebrate today? Well, this feast day is a great way to teach children about the true story behind the commercialized Santa Claus. Santa is a fun story that we can enjoy but there is so much more depth in the true history of Saint Nicholas that I think better points to Christ during Advent and Christmas. With Saint Nicholas Day being on December 6th, it gives the ability to recognize the great man he was, and have the St. Nicholas/Santa aspect of Christmas without it taking up the whole focus of Christmas Day, a day that should be about celebrating the birth of our Savior.

Some traditions you can do to observe this day are opening stockings, or placing shoes out. Fill the shoes or stockings with treats such as chocolate gold coins, oranges, candy canes (represent St. Nicholas’ staff), and other treats. Bake St. Nicholas Day cookies. Read books about the true story of “Santa”. Do a service project or give as a family- donate to a toy drive or organization that helps those in need. Remember, these traditions are not there to create another thing on your to-do list this holiday season, they are a way to help point us to God, if we choose to do them.

Two book recommendations I have for you this year are:

The True Story of Saint Nicholas by William J. Bennett. This book is a book for adults (or older kids/teens) that teaches us so much more about who Saint Nicholas was. 

Saint Nicholas the Gift Giver by Ned Bustard is a great children’s book teaching kids about the truth behind this great man.

Amy Welborn wrote a great prayer that I encourage you to pray today. She prays, “Loving God, we thank you for the example of St. Nicholas, who fed the hungry, brought hope to the imprisoned, gave comfort to the lost, and taught the truth to all. We strive to imitate him by putting you first in all that we do. Give us the courage, love, and strength of St. Nicholas, so that, like him, we may serve you through loving our brothers and sisters. Amen.”

What are you doing this Saint Nicholas Day? Let me know in the comments!

Be Blessed and Be a Blessing,

-Maddie