Anyone celebrate St. Nicholas/Sinterklaas Day and how?

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In our family, in keeping (somewhat) with our Dutch tradition, we place our wooden shoes out in front of the fireplace on 12/5. If we’ve been good, St. Nicholas comes and fills our shoes (above, below, within) with presents and treats. If we have been bad, which hasn’t yet happened, the shoes are filled with coal.

We do ALL our gift giving that day, saving Christmas for Jesus’ Birthday cake and celebration.

On St. Nick’s Day, we also make and eat special foods, get our tree, decorate, and hubby takes off from work.

This has been a great blessing for our family, shifts the Christmas focus to the birth of Christ, and lifts pressure off me, since all my shopping has to be done before 12/6! It also allows me to get lots of baking done after 12/6, and we celebrate from 12/6- Epiphany.

Anyone else?
Oh! Here is a great site:
stnicholascenter.org/Brix?pageID=102
 
Much simpler tradition here. St. Nicholas always brings an ornament that somehow represents each child or the year. I have the feeling my children think these ornaments actually belong to them and think that they’ll be able to take them with them when they leave the nest!! It might get ugly at that point; each ornament has some special meaning or association with it and it will be hard to let go (of the ornaments and the child!).

Of course, there’s candy too. My mom sent me St. Nick care packages in college; they were always a welcome treat at finals. Growing up (I’m almost 40 now), my family was one of only a few that celebrated St. Nick’s day. It seems to be a bit more prevalent in families now.

Kris
 
My son, now 2 1/2, receives, from us, a religious gift for
Saint Nicholas’ Feast Day. Last year I got him a plastic nativity set which he can play with. This year his grandmother got him another nativity, but this one has a voice which narrates the birth of Christ, telling the story, with lights and music/singing. It’s really cool. Last year she also got him a book of the story of Saint Nicholas. As Byzantine Catholics, there is a lot of emphasis on Saint Nicholas. Ironically, this year, my dad was chosen to play Saint Nicholas for our little celebration after Liturgy this Sunday.
 
We’re putting chocolate coins in our daughter’s shoes this year to commemorate the gift of a dowry from St. Nicholas.
 
the Dutch do… but right now they are making history doing things far from Christmas… 😦
 
My heritage is German so we’ve always celebrated Saint Nicholas Day (December 6). I put gelt (gold chocolate coins) in my son’s shoes. This year he is taking German in high school and the kids have to bring shoes to school so their teacher can fill them with candy.

'thann
 
St Nicholas Day is a big day in the Byzantine (Ruthenian) Catholic Church as he is our patron saint.

I attend a Melkite Church and it is a big deal there also as he is the patron of the parish, it is St Nicholas Melkite Greek Catholic Church in Gates, NY.

So this Sunday after the Liturgy, St Nicholas will come with gifts for all the children of the parish and then on Monday eveing we will have a Divine Liturgy for the day.
 
Yes! Even though my kids are 18, 16 and 13, they still like putting their shoes outside the bedroom door on the eve of St. Nicholas. I put in a small, practical gift and some chocolate. I jush shopped for St. Nick gifts yesterday and it was fun :-). —KCT
 
My parish is traditionally German, so they’re doing something for inner-city school kids tomorow. I guess some fellow dressed up as St. Nicholas (as in he has a bishop’s miter and all) tells them who St. Nick REALLy was, and then he gives them all goody bags.

I have always celebrated the 6th of December… it’s my birthday!😃
 
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