Leave out your socks and shoes tonight and Saint Nicholas will appear!
Saint Nicholas Day recognizes the third-century saint who is the modern day Santa Claus.
December 6th is The Feast of Saint Nicholas which is widely celebrated in Europe.
Saint Nicholas is a patron saint of sailors, merchants, archers, repentant thieves, children, brewers, pawnbrokers, toymakers, unmarried people, and students. He is also known as Nicholas the Wonderworker. He was born on 15 March 270, and died 6 December 343. He was an early Christian bishop of Greek decent from the city of Parata in Anatolia (which is the modern day Turkey) during the Roman Empire. He had a great reputation of giving to the sick and poor which gains the title of our Santa Claus! After Saint Nicholas’s death, the St. Nicholas Church was built under the order of Theodosius II.
Not to be confused with Christmas, Saint Nicholas does give treats out to good boys and girls, and if you’re bad, you’ll get a stick or a big lump of coal! Children are given special cookies, candies, and gifts. Children also leave out letters for St. Nicholas and carrots or grass for his donkey. They will also receive oranges in their shoe or sock, which is very different from what people receive on Christmas.
The popular tradition for St. Nicholas Day is leaving out socks or shoes by the door to receive gifts and goodies from St. Nicholas. (which is what my sister and I did growing up)
To celebrate St. Nicholas Day, share candies, chocolate letters, small gifts and riddles!
