My Memory of St. Nick's Day

 

When I was a very little girl, our family lived in Germany. We lived in Heidelberg and then spent a year or so in Nuremburg. I don’t remember much but I do remember feelings and smells of the holidays. I remember the Christmas markets and the delicious food smells, including chestnuts. I remember walking through the markets with my parents and sister and staying close to them because there were so many people. I also remember getting a Sears catalog in the mail (maybe my grandmother sent it to us) and my sister and I folded down the page corners showing the toys, games, and dolls that we loved.

One of my fondest memories was St. Nick’s Eve. That was the evening that we put our shoes outside (or in the outside hallway of our apartment) before we went to bed with hopes that in the morning, we’d find treats and toys in them from St. Nicholas, the Patron Saint of Children.

Legend has it that St Nicolas was a bishop known for his selflessness and caring. He’d tend to the sick and needy using the money he received from his inheritance or from selling his possessions. One tale says that he tossed bags of gold into open windows to help those down on their luck. The money often landed in the shoes that were drying by the fireplace. Over the years, that led to children putting their shoes out by the fireplace (or the hallway) with hopes that St. Nick would fill them with treats. St. Nicholas Day is December 6^th, supposedly the day of his death in 343 AD. St. Nick’s Day is a day of giving, named after a very kind, big-hearted man.

On December 6^th my sister and I would look for our shoes and sure enough, they would contain little treats. There was always an orange, some nuts and chocolate, a candy cane, and a little toy. It was a happy way to start the day and begin the excitement that comes with Christmas.

Over the years I tried to recreate St, Nick’s Day with my own family. The kids would put their shoes by the fireplace and in the morning, they would also find an orange, candy cane, chocolate, and a small toy. It was a joyous way to start the day (especially if it was a school day) but also a lovely introduction to the hustle and bustle of Christmas and a remembrance of the greatest gift of all, the baby Jesus Christ.