St. Nick Monday? Who does this & how do you do it? DD asked me about it.

[The Mystery Machine]

8yodd was asking me about St. Nick and getting stuff in shoes? When is this and does St. Nick come to your house?

 

[Breezy_Carol]

He puts stuff in stockings on Christmas eve, but I never heard of this.

 

[cgcw]

I started doing this with my daycare kids last year. At nap time, they lined up their shoes by the door and when they woke up, they found that St. Nick visited us. This year, each of the kids will get a couple of books to go along with the candy and an apple -- a nice healthy snack.

My own kids will leave their shoes out at night (because they know the daycare kids get something). I'm thinking of just a couple small trinket gifts for them.

I'm doing it on Monday, 12/6.

 

[piratesmate]

"Strictly speaking, the tradition of St. Nicholas is not synonomous with the role of Santa Claus in the U.S.. As practiced in many European countries, the celebration of St. Nicholas is separate from the Christmas holidays, and occurs during the 2 weeks prior to December 6th, which is St. Nicholas's day. Sometimes St. Nicholas Day is the main holiday for gift giving, and not Christmas.
......
The Holiday Today
In anticipation of St. Nicholas's nightly visits, children in several European countries put their shoes in front of the fire place. They sing traditional songs and provide a carrot or hay for the horse. At night Black Pete puts gifts and candy in the shoes.

In the Netherlands, families celebrate St Nicholas's birthday the night before his feast day (December 6th). At one point during the evening, a loud knock will herald the arrival of Sinterklaas and at the same time candy may be thrown from upstairs; when the door is opened, a bag of gifts will be on the doorstep.

For families with older children and adults, different twists are added to the gift giving and may include gag gifts or the drawing of gift ideas or names, and most times are accompanied by poems with a "personal touch" that poke fun at the recipient in a gentle way (or not, depending on the families ). Wrapping the presents up in odd packages and planting a trail of clues is also part of the general fun, and can sometimes be pretty tricky to get to, depending on the squeamishness of the recipients."

This site has more info: http://www.kidsdomain.com/holiday/xmas/around/stnicholas.html

 

[mickeyboat]

December 6th is St. Nichols Day. He comes to our house in the evening, knocks on the door, and leaves a bag of goodies for all. He forgot to come last year!

I grew up with this tradidion. But I don't know many others who celebrate it.

At the beginning of the week there was another thread about this. Can we use search yet? Someone posted a very informative, historical overview of St. Nicholas.

Have fun!

ETA: I see the info was posted, thanks!

Denae

 

[BabyTigger99]

We have always done St Nick. From what I know it is a regional or area tradition. St Nick come the night of the 5th and fills our stockings. Our stockings are not filled by Santa on Christmas Eve. This year DSD11 is getting an ornament (both kids get ornaments every year), some candy, body wash, and a Starbucks gift card (I have taught her well!!). DS5 is getting an ornament, candy, 2 Hot Wheels, and Spiderman 2.

 

[The LK 4]

I never heard of this tradition until I met my DH. Our kids leave their shoes outside their door on the 5th, and when they wake up on the 6th, St. Nicholas has visited and left them a few small things. It can be candy, a DVD, a Christmas CD or book, or something else on the smaller side.

 

[beattyfamily]

The Fable

As practiced in many European countries, the celebration of St. Nicholas is separate from the Christmas holidays, and occurs during the 2 weeks prior to December 6th, which is St. Nicholas's day. Sometimes St. Nicholas Day is the main holiday for gift giving, and not Christmas.

In the Netherlands, legend has it that Sinterklaas (Dutch name for St. Nicholas) arrives in the Netherlands by way of steamboat from Spain 2 weeks before his traditional birthday, December 6th, along with his helper, Zwarte Piet (Black Pete), who will help disperse the gifts and candy to all the good children. Sinterklaas, along with the zwarte piets, will go abroad at night and stride about the countryside wearing his red mantle, his mitre (a type of hat), golden crosier (a staff) and sporting a long, white beard. Referring to his book that lists all the good and bad children, Sinterklaas will deliver presents to all the good children, but watch out if you've been bad! The bad children may be taken back to Spain with him. The Low Countries (Belgium and Luxemburg) have basically the same traditions surrounding St. Nicholas, but not to the extent of the Netherlands. Children in Luxemburg call him Kleeschen, and his helper is Ho˜seker (Black Peter). Belgian children know him as Sint Niklaas.

While In Germany, St. Nicholas is also known as Klaasbuur, Sunnercla, Burklaas, Bullerklaas, and Rauklas, and in eastern Germany, he is also known as Shaggy Goat, Ash Man and Rider and is more reflective of earlier pagan influences (Norse) that were intermingled with the figure of St. Nicholas, when Christianity came to Germany. After the reformation, St. Nicholas's attire began to change, maybe as a reflection of the change from the Roman church, and he started to wear a red suit with fur. His dark-skinned assistant is most often known as Knecht Ruprecht. Although he still visits many homes on Dec 5th/6th and leaves candy and gifts in the children's shoes, more recently St. Nicholas has begun showing up on Christmas Eve in Germany and is called Father Christmas.

In France, he is now called Pere Noel (Father Christmas) and his helper is Pre Fouettard. Pere Noel only sometimes leaves presents on St. Nicholas day, more often now on Christmas. St. Nicholas day was celebrated formerly in Russia, but under Communism he was changed to Grandfather Frost and wore blue instead of red. In Sicily, he comes on Dec 13th and is called Santa Lucia.

The Historical Story

St. Nicholas was born in 271 AD and died around December 6, 342 or 343 AD near the Asia Minor (Turkey) town of Myra, where he later became Bishop. He performed many good deeds and was a friend to the poor and helpless, and upon his death, myths soon sprang up about him all around the Mediterranean Sea. He was reputed to be able to calm the raging seas, rescue desperate sailors, help the poor and downtrodden, and save children. He was soon named as the patron saint of sailors, and when Myra was overthrown, his bones were transported by sailors to Bari, a port in Italy, where a tomb was built over the grave and became the center of honor for St. Nicholas. From here the legend spread on around to the Atlantic Coast of Europe and the North Sea to become a European holiday tradition regardless of religion.

The Celebration Today

In several European countries children put their shoes in front of the fireplace in anticipation of St. Nicholas's nightly visits. They sing traditional songs and provide a carrot or hay for the horse. At night Black Pete puts gifts and candy in the shoes.

In the Netherlands, families celebrate St Nicholas's birthday the night before his feast day (December 6th). At one point during the evening, a loud knock will herald the arrival of Sinterklaas and at the same time candy may be thrown from upstairs; when the door is opened, a bag of gifts will be on the doorstep.

For families with older children and adults, different twists are added to the gift giving and may include gag gifts or the drawing of gift ideas or names, and most times are accompanied by poems with a "personal touch" that poke fun at the recipient in a gentle way (or not, depending on the families). Wrapping the presents up in odd packages and planting a trail of clues is also part of the general fun, and can sometimes be pretty tricky to get to, depending on the squeamishness of the recipients.

In 1881, five years before the Coca-Cola company was created, Thomas Nast, a political cartoonist for Harper's Weekly started drawing the first images of Santa that resemble the ones we know today.

At least 20 years before Coke's ads, Christmas greeting cards often featured the modern image of Santa.

And here's a link to the evolution of St. Nick in America.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Thanks for the info!

 

[mtemm]

we did it growing up...it was so much fun! my sisters don't do it with their kids, but I think I will with ours. my eldest is only 2...can't remember if I did anything last year.

we would put our shoes on the hearth on the 5th and the next morning there would be a small toy and some candy. It was so much fun, and really helped take the edge off of that long wait for christmas. For some reason we often got orange slices.

 

[leahannpen]

I am so surprised that this is reginal. I never knew that! I learn something new every day here.

We grew up with this. On the night of 12/5, we leave out stockings and St. Nick fills them with treats. Usually some candy and fruit and smaller toy-type things. If you are "naughty" you get coal, potatoes and/or onions. LOL! I've never not done this and I'm just so surprised to realize it's not really the norm elsewhere.

 

[believe]

We actually leave little gifts under the girls small trees that are in their bedroom, on this night. They don't get anything in their stockings for Christmas.

 

[clh2]

We grew up with St. Nick making a visit...We've done it for our daughter as well. Many people from Wisconsin celebrate this tradition!

 

[BabyTigger99]

Gotta love them Wisconsinites!!!

 

[Big V]

Our family has always had St. Nicholas Day and we're from Wisconsin too!

 

[beattyfamily]

It seems to have originated with the Dutch. Are there a lot of Dutch decendants in Wisconsin?

 

[palmtreegirl]

Never heard of iit until today.