ANYONE celebrate St. Nick Day??

[Holiday Joy]

Do any of you celebrate St. Nicholas Day in addition to Christmas?

We've done it for several years, choosing the first Sat. of December to hang stockings and do all the fun 'Santa' stuff, and then focusing the rest of the month on our gifts to each other and gifts of service, advent, etc. The kids love it because they get two separate celebrations. They get their stocking stuffers and practical gifts like clothing and underwear on St. Nick Day, so they know that Christmas Day packages won't be full of socks and other 'boring' things!

Would love to hear about any others dividing their holiday this way.

 

[momof4]

We certainly do celebrate St. Nicholas Day on Dec. 6th! My family did while I was growing up (my parents are German immigrants) and now I do with my kids. Just got a note in my kindergartener's backpack today to send a shoe into school on Dec. 5th as they are celebrating also!
We follow the same traditions as when I was a child. Our shoes are set out (I still have the wooden shoe I used) on the evening of the 5th and St. Nick comes during the night. Usually a small gift/toy, a few pieces of candy, walnuts, and oranges - always got oranges - were left. I also have a video about St. Nick that tells the story of who he is and where the tradition comes from and how he is the basis of Santa Claus. The kids usually watch it after school.
When I was in elementary school, I took German classes on Saturday mornings. During the class closest to the feast day, one of the teachers at the school dressed as St. Nick and brought each of us candy, nuts, and an orange too!

 

[KimD]

This is something that I have always wanted todo since the kids have always heard my grandfather talk about it from when he was a child. But we have never. I will have to think of something for them.

 

[HouseElf]

Yes!

On the feast day we have special cookies, my boys receive a candy cane, chocolate coins and a small toy in their slippers :stocking:

An excellent resource for more information:

http://www.stnicholascenter.org/

 

[michelle3]

We celebrate St Nickolas Day every December 6th. I usually give my 3 girls each a new Christmas DVD and chocolate. We then sit down as a family and watch the movies together.

 

[KimD]

Thanks for the site I had saved it on my old computer a few years ago to show my grandpa to see if that was how it was.

I got what I am going todo. My grandpa a couple of old post cards that he recieved from relitives in Poland when they first came here over 86 years ago. I am going to call him to find out where they are and make a copy them on cardstock and have my stepfather write a note to the kids. Then under their pillow (which is a custom) they will recieve an apple or orange (depending on thier liking) and a small gift. Before going to bed that night I will read them the tradition. Also have to go to the candy store before then because I remember my grandfather always saying he got a candy stick and while were growing up he made sure all his grandkids got a candystick for christmas.

 

[jackfrosty]

sounds great! We have a St. nick breakfast at church this sunday!

 

[Cathymac]

I've always meant to do this and never have. I bought chocolate coins and oranges yesterday when I was shopping, so I may slip them in their shoes or even get the stockings out and have them laying at the breakfast table for each boy. I probably can pull out a small gift for each, also. Thanks for reminding me!! Love this!

 

[Woman]

I always did this with my children who are now grown and parents-so I now do this with my five grandchildren-I give books and ornaments
with a little candy. They always look forward to St Nick NIght.
WOMAN

:bigsnow: :bigsnow: :bigsnow:

 

[KimD]

I decided that we are also going todo another tradition of Star Man on Jan.6th. I was going to make red and white bags for the kids for that. But they won't take much to make so I am going to make them tonight and put their St. Nick stuff in them tonight. I would do their shoes but OH MY, my 9yr olds shoes need washing or he needs oder eaters badly. Very sweaty feet lately.

St. Nick is leaving them new hats and gloves, an orange, a candy stick (thanks to my mom for running up to the candy store that makes them 40 mins away in a snow storm yesterday for me), and chocolate coins. There will also be a note in there to wish everyone they see today a Happy St. Nick day.

 

[rockin_granola]

We do! :grin:

On the 5th we read the Tomie DePaola book The Christmas Angels (it talks about St. Nicholas as some little angels help decorate Heaven for Christmas) and we usually do some kind of St. Nicholas activity (like a coloring page). My daughter is a bit young to fully get the idea behind the Saint, but we talk about him at an age appropriate level, you know? About his kindness and his gifts to children.

That night we hang our stockings up,hoping St. Nicholas will bring a little something and usually we wake up on the 6th to find a small present, an orange, and some chocolate coins. Sometimes a new holiday movie or book will be in the stockings, too.

It's a fun tradition that we've really enjoyed making a part of our holidays.

 

[cipalla]

we do too. Mil started it with our kids and now we do it for them too. They get hallmark ornaments from her and us....so they get two new ornaments each year, at least.

 

[Holiday Joy]

rockin_granola, I'll have to look for the Tomie dePaola book. I've never heard of that one before, but I LOVE his artwork in childrens books!

 

[momof4]

I love all of Tomie dePaola's books. He has many that are Christmas related. I came across this webpage one day and use some of her ideas, even though I don't homeschool...
http://charlottemason.tripod.com/4realpaola.htm

 

[jackfrosty]

Thanks so much for that link-I'm definatly going to find some of those books! ink:

 

[Basket]

We celebrate St. Nicholas every year since the kids were three or four. It`s tradition to clean the shoes the night before and put them in front of the door. Sometimes the kids also put a glass of milk or a cookie and a carrot beside. Next morning the kids have some funny things in their shoes. If they were naughty over the year they could get a little rood (but always with some sweets and nuts beside). It´s a good day to give a Christmas movie or a book with Christmas stories to the kids. When my kids were getting older (DD16,DS20 now) they get tickets for the cinema to look the Christmas movie there.

 

[rockin_granola]

I love all of Tomie dePaola's books. He has many that are Christmas related. I came across this webpage one day and use some of her ideas, even though I don't homeschool...
http://charlottemason.tripod.com/4realpaola.htm

We do homeschool and that's the Advent unit we used this year :haha:

 

[creativemom]

We got the boys St. Nick the veggie tales movie!!! Each boy gets a book, fun socks, a little car, and some treats.
My hubby gets fun socks and a book and treats.
This has been a tradition in my family for generations!! My grandparents got stockings from ST. Nick, my parents, my generation and now our children! I love it!

 

[caitsmum]

When I had my own classroom I always got the children to make a paper sliper that we hung on the wall. We'd read a story about St Nicholas - and often it was covered in Assembly too (church school)

On the morning of the 6th (or the closest school morning!) I would add a chocolate coin. It sometimes took all day for them to realise there was something in their shoe! Lol!

It made a nice (easy) part of our Christmas display and was an "extra" pressie for them to take home at the end of term!

AM

 

[LadyEvenstar]

We've never celebrated it here at home but they do at my daughters' school. They take off one of their shoes and place it in the hallway while they are in class. Later they'll hear bells and know that St. Nick has visited and filled their shoes with small prizes like Christmas pencils and stickers. Sometimes he leaves candy canes as well.