St. Nicholas Day - My Favorite Holiday Memory

Celebrating his day was one of the most fun parts of the Christmas holiday in our house.

When Is It?

St. Nicholas Day occurs on December 6. Our holiday ritual was that we would hang our stockings in front of the fireplace on the eve, December 5. The next morning we would find them filled with candy, nuts, fruit, and a small toy.

"St. Nicholas came! St. Nicholas came!" The first kid up would announce, and the rest of us came running.

I don't know about my 11 brothers and sisters, but I was more excited about St. Nicholas Day than about Christmas Day itself.

Why So Fun?

Part of the fun was that it came almost three weeks before Christmas itself, so it went a long way toward calming down kids that were so impatient for the big day they could hardly stand it.

And there was something so visually stimulating about seeing all those red stockings! A large family's traditions by necessity are sometimes either overwhelming because of the numbers, or they're inherently more dramatic, like the parade line of Christmas stockings (hung by the chimney with care!).

The eatables in the stockings were as important a treat as the toy. Snacks and candies were rare in our family, so getting a "haul" to yourself was wonderful. Many years there was a tangerine in the mix and to this day I associate tangerines with St. Nicholas Day.

One special touch St. Nicholas included every year was to put some coins in each stocking. The amount was always one cent per year of age. That small personalization was worth its weight in gold to me. I think maybe St. Nick knew how tough it can be to feel noticed as an individual in such a large crowd.

Who is St. Nicholas?

As a kid I thought St. Nicholas and Santa Claus were the same person. I thought it was cool he came to our house twice a year. It wasn't until I was an adult that I was curious enough to do a little research.

I learned St. Nicholas is a Christian saint who was born during the third century. He's known for devoting his life to helping people in need. As a young man he inherited his parents' money and he used all of it to help the sick and suffering. He is especially known for his concern for children. To many today he is still a beloved protector of children.

December 6 is the date St. Nicholas died and it is the day chosen to celebrate his life. He's considered a model of compassion and is believed to be the origin of the Santa Claus character. No wonder I used to think they were the same. In a real sense, they are.

You can visit www.stnicholascenter.org to learn more about St. Nicholas. This site has stories and legends of the man himself, as well as thoughts about how he became the inspiration for the jolly red-suited man we call Santa Claus. There are also suggestions for how to include fun St. Nicholas Day activities in your own holiday celebration.

One difference between St. Nicholas and Santa Claus is their relevance. Santa Claus is associated with the Christmas holiday season. The rest of the year we don't think about him much. Plus he's only real to small children.

St. Nicholas, however, is part of the community of saints. Even if you're not religious, he's a model for generosity and service. He's real to a great many people in the world every day of the year.

Not Just For Kids

I remember the first time St. Nicholas came to my house as an adult. It was about 10 years ago.

I came out to the living room one morning on December 6 and found lumpy stockings hanging by my fireplace. I thought I was dreaming. When I took down the stocking with my name, I found candy, nuts, a toy and .... coins! Exactly the right number of them!

I never found out where those goodies came from. My boyfriend denies he had anything to do with it. His argument is that since there was a stocking for him too, it couldn't have been him.

The stockings have shown up every year since. I'm grateful to St. Nicholas for remembering me and I thank him every year for all he's brought, including a boyfriend who pays attention to childhood stories.