St. Nicholas Day: Children around the world welcome the legendary saint of Myra

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6: The white-bearded man in the red suit may travel by reindeer in the West, but today, Sinterklaas, or San Nicola, arrives across Europe on horseback—for St. Nicholas Day. For European children, St. Nicholas Day brings hope of sweets, small toys and surprises, as the fourth-century saint makes his rounds with Zwarte Piet (Black Peter). For Christian families, the excitement and gifts of St. Nicholas Day can better prepare children for focus on the Nativity on Christmas Day.

Advent season: For more than a billion Western Christians, Advent begins before St. Nicholas day. (The first Advent Sunday is December 2 in 2018.)

Nativity Fast: For Eastern Orthodox Christians, the 40-day fasting period known as Nativity Fast lasts through December 24.

NICHOLAS: A BISHOP BECOMES A LEGEND

The historical St. Nicholas was born in the 3rd century in modern-day Turkey. When orphaned at a young age, Nicholas followed the words of Jesus and sold his inheritance, giving the profits to the poor. (Learn more from St. Nicholas Center.) The generous young man devoted his life to God and was soon made bishop of Myra, where his reputation for compassion continued. Despite imprisonment and persecution during the reign of Roman Emperor Diocletian, Bishop Nicholas unwaveringly continued his servitude toward others .

Stories of his works and deeds spread throughout the land, and some of those stories are still told on St. Nicholas Day today. In 343 CE, St. Nicholas died in Myra. A relic, known as manna, formed on his grave, and the substance was believed to have healing properties.

NIKOLAOS THE WONDERWORKER & EUROPEAN TRADITIONS

In the many countries that observe St. Nicholas Day—the Netherlands, France, Germany, Italy, Austria, Bulgaria and more—the day is met with special baked goods, processions and reenactments of wonderful stories from the life of St. Nicholas. In Germany and Poland, boys dress as bishops and beg for alms for the poor; in France, the spicy smell of gingerbread cookies and mannala (a brioche shaped like the bishop) fills kitchens and bakeries. St. Nicholas is the most popular family patron saint in Serbia. Throughout Europe, children leave their shoes out on the evening of December 5, to be filled with either treats or coal by the passing St. Nicholas and his sidekick companion, Zwarte Piet.

RESOURCES: ST. NICHOLAS CENTER OFFERS ACTIVITIES, RECIPES & MORE

This year, the nonprofit St. Nicholas Center has expanded its free printables, stories, handmade gifts and more with 49 new features: a video to introduce St. Nicholas, intended for St. Nicholas events and a handout on The Real Santa (with an Eastern image, too) are just a few of the features. Visitors to the site can find printable candy bar wrappers, paper bag puppets, cookies and even a religious devotional for churches—all with the intention of spreading the story of the life of the famed bishop of Myra.

Learn about the life of St. Nicholas, here. For children, check out this page.

Bake Speculaas cookies, gluten-free Speculoos and Ukrainian Christmas Honey Cookies, with recipes here.

Get creative with craft ideas and directions, here.

Access St. Nicholas Day blessings and other faith-based resources, here.

Saint Nicholas Day: Remember the bishop who was the ‘real’ Santa Claus

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6: Whether he’s known as Sinterklaas, San Nicola or St. Nicholas in your part of the world, keep watch for the white-bearded man in the red suit, as Christians across the globe celebrate Saint Nicholas Day. In European countries, today’s festival means heaps of sweets, small toys and exciting surprises left by the famed fourth-century saint, as he makes his rounds with Zwarte Piet (Black Peter). By receiving gifts—or coal—on St. Nicholas Day, children can focus on the birth of Jesus on Christmas Day.

ADVENT SEASON FOR WESTERN CHRISTIANS: Learn about this special season for more than a billion Western Christians in our December 1 column about Advent.

NATIVITY FAST FOR EASTERN CHRISTIANS: Families who belong to Orthodox churches began their annual fast in November.

BEHIND THE LEGEND:
LIFE OF ST. NICHOLAS

The “real” story of Santa Claus begins with Nicholas, a man born in the 3rd century in modern-day Turkey. Orphaned at a young age, Nicholas took to heart the words of Jesus and sold what his wealthy parents had left to him. Nicholas gave his profits to the poor, and was soon made bishop of Myra. His reputation for compassion and generosity continued. (Learn more from St. Nicholas Center.)

With the reign of Roman Emperor Diocletian, Christians—included Bishop Nicholas—were imprisoned and exiled. Following his release, Nicholas’s passion for helping others persisted. Stories of his deeds rapidly spun into legends, and many of those legends are still told on St. Nicholas Day today.

In 343 CE, Nicholas died in Myra, and was buried beneath his cathedral church. (Wikipedia has details.) A relic known as manna formed in his grave, and the sweet-smelling liquid was rumored to have healing powers. This manna posthumously increased the popularity of the saint, and the anniversary of his death became a feast day in the Christian Church. Today, St. Nicholas is the patron of children, sailors and a number of regions around the world, as well.

AROUND THE WORLD:
FRENCH MANNALA
TO THE FIERA DI SAN NICOLA

In stark contrast to the secular figure of Santa Claus, St. Nicholas bears religious connotations in many of the countries that grandly celebrate his feast day. In Germany and Poland, boys dress as bishops and beg for alms for the poor; in the Netherlands and Belgium, it’s legend that St. Nicholas arrives by steamship and rides a white horse. French children often hear the tales of St. Nicholas from grandparents and elders, while gingerbread cookies and mannala (a brioche shaped like the bishop) are prepared in kitchens and bakeries. In Italy, the Fiera di San Nicola (St. Nicholas Fair) is celebrated during the first weeks of December.

ACTIVITIES,
CHURCH RESOURCES
AND SPECULAAS GINGER COOKIES

Children young and old can get into the spirit of St. Nicholas with help from the St. Nicholas Center, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting his life. Visitors can find everything from printable candy bar wrappers and paper bag puppets to recipes for St. Nicholas cookies and chocolate initial cookies. Men dressing up as St. Nicholas can join the St. Nicholas Directory, and churches can find inspiration from a new devotional: “From the Holly Jolly to the Holy: Reclaiming the Sacred during Advent and Christmas.”

Across the web, Women for Faith and Family provides a recipe for traditional speculaas ginger cookies, which are often made in Europe for St. Nicholas Day. Sycamore Stirrings suggests ideas for St. Nicholas spoon puppets.

NEWS: CONTROVERSY
OVER ‘BLACK PETE’

A faithful-if-mischievous servant of St. Nicholas, Black Peter, is well known in the Netherlands and parts of Belgium. He also shows up in communities with Dutch roots in cities including New York City. While Sinterklaas, the Dutch St. Nicholas, gives out gifts—Black Peter may give a spanking with a bunch of twigs. Some in the Netherlands claim he is black, because he is a chimney-sweep who prepares the way for Sinterklaas. In any case, Black Pete wasn’t a cause of much concern until this year.

Now, Black Pete is a serious issue both in New York and in Europe. Critics are calling for an end to this traditional character—and are encountering significant resistance from millions of men and women who live in the Netherlands. A commentary in the New York Times by Dutch journalist and a author Arnon Grunberg is the best overview we’ve seen of this cultural conflict.

Grunberg explains how deeply the Dutch are clinging to vestiges of their traditional culture, including Black Pete as part of December festivities. “But just as the defense of traditions has grown stronger, so has the criticism that Black Pete is a racist holdover from the Netherlands’s colonial past. In January, the United Nations High Commission for Human Rights sent a letter to the Dutch government stating that Black Pete perpetuated the image of people of African descent as second-class citizens and constituted a ‘living trace of past slavery.'”

As December 2013 rolls around, many in the Netherlands continue to defend the custom—but activists around the world also seem to be gaining ground in criticizing the figure. While some Dutch are suggesting the nation adopt “Green Pete” as a compromise, others reject that as giving in to international pressure. The global conversation continues to unfold. Stay tuned.

VEGGIE TALES IS BACK WITH A ‘CHRISTIAN’ TALE

Last year, the popular VeggieTales animated DVD series released a fanciful children’s version of the life of the “real” St. Nicholas, called: St. Nicholas: A Story of Joyful Giving. That tale bent the actual history into a child-shaped pretzel, combining legend with the usual vegetable-shaped silliness and songs. Nevertheless, the video remains an inexpensive and delightful tale for the whole family.

THIS YEAR, VeggieTales is back with a second Christian-specific holiday story. We have a new review of Merry Larry and the True Light of Christmas, written by ReadTheSpirit Editor (and big Christmas-movie fan) David Crumm.