Growing up we always celebrated Saint Nick’s Day and I guess I just assumed everyone else did too. I’m not sure at what point in my elementary years I realized that wasn’t the case. Once I realized that it wasn’t a day that everyone recognized I felt pretty special. Especially because my parents felt it was important to talk to us about who St. Nick was and why there was a day named after him. Today I want to share this special holiday with you and tell you about how our family celebrates Saint Nick’s Day.
what is St. Nick’s Day?
St. Nick’s Day (technically St. Nicholas Day) recognizes the saint who became the modern-day inspiration for Santa Claus. It typically falls on December 6th, although depending on the part of the world you’re in it might be observed on December 5th or 19th.Saint Nicholas was born in the village of Patar, which is located in modern-day Turkey and he is the patron Saint of many causes. One of the reasons that we have taught our children “the truth” about who jolly old St. Nick was because we think it’s a disservice to overlook the man he was. He is known for selling all his possessions and being generous to the poor. St. Nicholas was raised as a devout Christian and dedicated his life to serving those in need.
| Read more about how our family balances Santa and the Savior here! |
how is it different than Christmas?
St. Nicholas Day obviously does not celebrate the birth of Christ so it is not a substitution for Christmas. However, there are similarities between the two days. With both holidays there is the tradition of giving small gifts or treats and the expectation that “naughty” children may get coal. Both days often encourage individuals to be generous and loving.
how we celebrate
You’ll find a lot of variance in how people around the world celebrate St. Nick’s Day. I’ve heard of people that leave their slippers outside their bedroom doors, shoes on the front stoop, and families that just used their Christmas stockings. Growing up we always left our slippers out on the fireplace hearth so that’s how we celebrate with our own children.
Simple chocolate gold coins and a small gift will be waiting in the slippers on the morning of December 6th! For our family the small gift is usually a book (because you can never have too many, right??) or a new pair of slippers. Of course, if children have been naughty then some coal might be in order so they have time to shape up before Christmas, hint hint. These Christmas coal handmade crayons from Art 2 the Extreme are a fun way to gift coal and not be too much of a Grinch.
Of course, the gift is only part of the celebration. Since our family doesn’t really go the “traditional” Santa route at Christmastime we always take Saint Nick’s Day as an opportunity to talk about who St. Nicholas was. We share stories about his life and have discussions. Why do we think the legend of Santa Claus came from St. Nicholas’s life? What good qualities did he have? How can we be more generous like he was?
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