INSIDE: Simple and beautiful ways to celebrate the tradition of St. Nicholas Day in your Catholic home!
I grew up with Santa Claus.
Not just any Santa Claus, but a REALLY generous Santa Claus.
My sisters and I received pajamas, dresses, toys, candy…it was always quite a haul! I have many wonderful memories of waking up VERY early in the morning (around 4:30 a.m.) to go see what Santa had brought before my parents went out to milk the cows.
When my husband and I started our own family, we also had Santa Claus. Slowly this has transitioned to observing a simpler St. Nicholas Day on December 6th and nixing Santa altogether at Christmas time.
I LOVE the tradition of St. Nicholas Day for several reasons:
- I don’t have to purchase gifts as both Santa Claus and as a parent.
- It allows us to still have “Santa Claus” but in a much simpler format.
- It lets us focus completely on Jesus when Christmas arrives.
Gifts
On the eve of St. Nicholas Day, our children set out their shoes (or sometimes Daddy’s work boots when they are greedy, which they often are!). In the morning they find dried fruit (usually apricots) and a little candy. They have also found books, peg dolls, and this nativity set (which was a real hit!).
Stumped as to what to put in your kid’s shoes or stockings this year? Here are a few simple ideas to get the ball rolling.
Gifts Ideas for St. Nicholas Day:
- Fresh or dried fruit
- Christmas books (here are our favorites)
- Nativity set
- Candy Canes (share the legend of the candy cane)
- Special snacks (i.e. animal crackers, goldfish)
- Saint peg dolls
- Religious movie
- Trinkets: stickers, pencils, pens, erasers, tape, glue
Check out my post 100+ Ideas for a No-Toy Christmas for more ideas!
Food Ideas for St. Nicholas Day
What is a celebration without special food? St. Nicholas pancakes have become a family tradition over the last few years and are always a real hit with the kids. Here is a picture of what they look like.
(Image from: Blue Skies Ahead http://www.ptskjohnson.blogspot.com)
Traditionally, families make Speculatius cookies (recipe here) the night before St. Nicholas day, and several of the cookies become part of the loot distributed to the children. One year I made Speculatius, but they were definitely not a hit with our family! Instead, we will take some time to bake some of our personal family favorites.
Many families also give chocolate coins, but our family isn’t a fan of cheap chocolate (we are super fancy-smanshy!). Traditions shouldn’t be dictated by what others do, but what makes it enjoyable for your family!
Reading ideas for St. Nicholas Day
Every year, we try to highlight St. Nicholas as a true person, and explain how he has morphed into the commercialized Santa Claus we all know. This helps our kids make sense of the Santa they see at the local fire station (who happens to be our next door neighbor!).
We read this book:
Here are some other books about Saint Nicholas, though I can’t vouch for them:
And watch this movie:
We love our VeggieTales and their Saint Nicholas movie lives up to their reputation.
Crafts ideas for St. Nicholas Day
Disclaimer: I tend to avoid crafts like the plague. I find they take too much prep time, don’t really teach anything, and they quickly become clutter. Oh, how I loathe clutter!
We DO often take time to draw on saint days. I usually collect a couple of images of the saint and the kids and I enjoy drawing our own interpretation based on the images. I might print a coloring page for the youngest to color while the others sketch.
Here is a cute one:
Be Generous:
Take a cue from the saint. Why not be generous with your time or treasure in a special way on December 6th? This is something I’m hoping to incorporate for the first time this year.
Here are a few ideas:
- Write a note and have the kids make cards for a shut-in, your priest, or someone who might need some encouragment
- Visit a nursing home
- Take something to your neighbors (be brave and talk to them about how your family celebrates St. Nicholas)
As with all new traditions, if you’ve never done St. Nicholas Day, start small. Start by just placing treasures in your children’s shoes. Each year add a little something more.
What do you do for Good Ole St. Nicholas?
Other Posts you may like:
Advent and Christmas Read Alouds
100+ Ideas for No Toy Christmas
Dear Elizabeth,
I have always liked the celebration of St. Nicholas! When my children were K-8 at St. Ignatius School, I went to each classroom with candy canes that had a blessing from St. Nicholas attached for each child. And, I included all the Teachers and Support staff with a few extras in the Staff Room, just in case. I liked the sharing of Days of Christmas so that the excitement is not all on one day. Also, I have had a special feeling for the Saint. I was born in England; and we celebrated “Father Christmas” instead of Santa Claus. My wise mother simply “morphed” Father Christmas into the “Spirit of Christmas” and, yes, this spirit was definitely connected to St. Nicholas! Thus, I never suffered from that sadness of being “lied” to by my mum. She was a great mum. I tried to do somewhat the same thing with my children; but the dominance of Santa and the Commercial aspects, my the job hard. So celebrating St. Nicholas was a segue into my story. I will not go on, long, about the 12 days of Christmas being AFTER Christmas! I had a neighbour who celebrated Hanukkah and she called to me as I bustled about, “So much work all for one day! At least we have 8!” I replied, “If we did it right, we would have 12!” Our former Pastor would not have the Staff Christmas Party till January! We were salmon swimming up stream, However the only causes worth fighting for are those which seem lost. Advent is a time for preparation, waiting, penance, and joyful anticipation of the coming of the Child to each of us, celebrating this miracle for 12 days and then, on in our lives. So I will continue to mention, encourage, the idea of the 12 days, and a more serene, balanced time, that avoids the clamor and pandemonium that so often reigns outside our homes (and even inside them)! We can look forward to 12 days of celebration; the Church still has Christmas 1 Christmas 2 etc. on the Sundays after the 25th. We are not alone; just few. My thanks for your wonderful message of St. Nicholas!
Susanna