Anyone here celebrate the feast of Saint Nicholas?

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more then maybe just go to mass.

I don’t know if this is the best place to put it, but its kinda hard to find a home for this thread on this board. Please feel free to request to move this to another thread.

Anyway I know many parts of the world celebrate the feast of saint nicholas and celebrate it more then just going to mass.

I hear that some people put out shows which get filled with candy and such.

some tell the stories of saint nick the night before his feast day and how he saved three orphaned kids from some evil man.

But Saint nick is a pretty cool dude. He was the Bishop of Myra and he played a big role in the Council of Nicaea.

one of my favorite stories of him surrounds this council.

anyway Arius, who is considered a heretic, was arguing at the council in favor of his view, that Christ wasn’t divine and he was adopted into the God head so to speak at the baptism. He wasn’t born before all ages eternally not begotten and all the things we say about the logos, aka Jesus Christ. This angered Saint Nick so much that he went across the room and slapped Arius across the face. because of this outlast against him he was thrown in Jail. But in Jail legend has it that Jesus and the Blessed Mother can to visit him, and asked him why are you in jail, and he said in response, for my love for you. He was given back his Bishop Graments and book of the gospel and after they had seen this he was released from prision.

The orthodox view with Nicholas supported eventually won at at Nicaea.

Great saint.

but again do any of you celebrate his feast here?

http://img341.imageshack.us/img341/6617/officestnicklitho.jpg
 
My children always make some really fabulous St. Nicholas cookie, gingerbread with red icing and detailed in white. And “St. Nicholas” puts candy coins in their shoes, which they leave out for him 😉

Check out the collect from the traditional Latin Mass for the Feast of St. Nicholas. Pretty powerful stuff!

O God, who did adorn,
by the working of countless miracles,
the holy bishop Nicholas;
grant we beg You,
that by his merits and prayers,
we may be delivered from the pains of hell.
 
Here at the seminary we put our shoes out last night and St. Nicholas put candy in them. Of course, Lauds and Mass were for his feast.

-ACEGC
 
Eastern Rite Catholics celebrate St Nicolas and we sang St Nicolas songs at Divine Liturgy on Sunday. Nicolas is a very popular name for boys. Many home school families here celebrate and have a St Nicolas concert.
He is an awesome pillar of the Church!

One fellow we know, who came into the Church after being away a while, told us he wanted to visit his old hangout, a bar that often featured musicians. There was a musician he wanted to hear, so he went, decided to enjoy a beer while he was there. A fellow came, sat next to him, leaned over and said, “You shouldn’t be here”. He never saw this guy before and was very surprised at his reply. He actually does look like he should be there, he looks like a big biker guy. Anyway, we asked if he was an angel, and his reply, with big saucer eyes, was that “He looked just like St Nicolas”.
 
It seems that the feast of St. Nicholas is becoming more popular over the past several years with the school children as well as the homeschooled children who are trying to keep the major focus of Christmas to celebrate Christ’s birthday. But they also want to let children have fun by celebrating the feast of Saint Nicholas whom Santa Clause was modeled after. My daughter celebrates the Feast of St. Nicholas in her home with her children. So they learn the truth about the saint and how the gift giving that we see from the mythical Santa Claus derived from the model of St. Nicholas.

PS. I just want to say that is a beautiful picture of St. Nicholas in the opening post.
 
zab said:
It seems that the feast of St. Nicholas is becoming more popular over the past several years with the school children as well as the homeschooled children who are trying to keep the major focus of Christmas to celebrate Christ’s birthday. But they also want to let children have fun by celebrating the feast of Saint Nicholas whom Santa Clause was modeled after. My daughter celebrates the Feast of St. Nicholas in her home with her children. So they learn the truth about the saint and how the gift giving that we see from the mythical Santa Claus derived from the model of St. Nicholas.

PS. I just want to say that is a beautiful picture of St. Nicholas in the opening post.
Click to expand...
google images is a great source for picture 🙂
 
We have our children (10, 7 & 6) put their shoes out in front of the fireplace or outside the front door. St. Nicholas comes during their sleep and puts candy in their shoes for them.

Last year, my wife was performing St. Nicholas “duties” for a number of our neighbors, and then came home to find that our middle son (6 at the time) put ALL of his shoes out. So cute!

We have always had our children understand that “Santa Clause” actually is St. Nicholas. When we were explaining to our oldest son about how he still does this every year, so many years later, we used the explanation that we are trying to imitate the Saints, and this is a traditional way for parents to do so with their children.
 
I don’t want to get too sidetracked, but I remembered something from about 30 years ago when we first moved to this area and began attending our current parish. We were at a Sunday Mass and sitting behind us was a big man with flowing long grey hair and beard. Just as Mass was over and we were leaving, one of my sons snickered and whispered to the other (they were about 6 and 7 years old at the time) “That looks like Santa Claus”. Overhearing him, the man said, “Santa Claus was my father!”
 
Most every year at our house St Nicholas rings the doorbell and leaves. Outside we find a bag of fruit and nuts and maybe a few trinkets.

One year when I was a kid, he came into the house with a large bag over his shoulder.

None of us ever got coal. He saved the for the neighbor’s kids :).
 
I hold a birthday party, this may or may not be because he is my confirmation saint and because December 6th is my birthday 😉
 
Blessings to all on Saint Nicholas feast day. I was reading about dearest Saint Nicholas and came to realize what a heavy hitter he is. Imprisoned under Diocletian, stalwart of the Council of Nicaea, and worker of miracles for the hopeless, his renown continues to this day. God is glorified in His saints, and in honoring this great man, we are reminded we are “surrounded by a cloud of witnesses.” Thanks, God, for such souls as Saint Nicholas, and may he lavishly intercede on behalf of all Earth’s denizens, all for the honor and glory of the Most High. Today I wished all a Happy Saint Nicholas Day! and shared food with poor neighbors, and prayed for Saint Nicholas to help get me squared away financially and in all ways. Blessings! PS I have heard of the star of St. Nicholas and was wondering how this is portrayed in icons, if indeed it is. Thanks.
 
Here are two of the pictures my daughter sent me of their St. Nicholas Day celebration.
 
Our youngest is 20, and she still puts her shoe outside her bedroom door. 👍
 
Each year for my CCD students, closest to his feast day, I show Saint Nicholas-The Boy who became Santa Claus. It is a 30 minute video/dvd that can be ordered from many catalouges. It chornicles the story of Saint Nicholas from his boyhood freeing a slave, becoming a bishop, and later being imprisoned for his faith. I think it is important to show the history and the children really seem to enjoy the video. There were three girls of a woodcarver. The woodcarver was so very poor and was almost forced to sell his girls into slavery for a dowry. Unless you were wealthy and could afford the dowry, then that often was the life that was chosen for you. In the middle of the night, Nicholas threw three bags of gold down the chimney as the man was praying to a false god. The father heard Nicholas and thought it was Draco’s men. Nicholas and his friend got caught. This is where the tradition of the gold coins comes from. Shoes are put on in the Dutch and Easter Europeon homes while the stockings comes from a different tradition. There is a really wonderful website that has great stories about Saint Nicholas and the many miracles that are associated with him.

stnicholascenter.org

I would hightly suggest this for anyone who is interested in the history of Saint Nicholas and otherwise. May God bless all of you this day,

RA
 
Rome_Always said:
Each year for my CCD students, closest to his feast day, I show Saint Nicholas-The Boy who became Santa Claus. It is a 30 minute video/dvd that can be ordered from many catalouges. It chornicles the story of Saint Nicholas from his boyhood freeing a slave, becoming a bishop, and later being imprisoned for his faith. I think it is important to show the history and the children really seem to enjoy the video. There were three girls of a woodcarver. The woodcarver was so very poor and was almost forced to sell his girls into slavery for a dowry. Unless you were wealthy and could afford the dowry, then that often was the life that was chosen for you. In the middle of the night, Nicholas threw three bags of gold down the chimney as the man was praying to a false god. The father heard Nicholas and thought it was Draco’s men. Nicholas and his friend got caught. This is where the tradition of the gold coins comes from. Shoes are put on in the Dutch and Easter Europeon homes while the stockings comes from a different tradition. There is a really wonderful website that has great stories about Saint Nicholas and the many miracles that are associated with him.

stnicholascenter.org

I would hightly suggest this for anyone who is interested in the history of Saint Nicholas and otherwise. May God bless all of you this day,

RA
Click to expand...
We have this movie for our childeren, and they love it, and watch it often! Good suggestion!
 
We have celebrated both St Nicholas and St Lucy (12/13 this year) in years past. Usually just at home with a special meal and readings about his life. That is the way we celebrate our patron saint days also. It is hard to get to daily Mass during the school/work week, so we don’t always get a chance to attend Mass.

This year we did not do anything. 😦
 
We put out shoes for candy and treats and read the stories of this Saint. It is a Catholic tradition my wife taught me.
 
Why Jesus Is Better than Santa Claus

Santa lives at the North Pole …
JESUS is everywhere.

Santa rides in a sleigh …
JESUS rides on the wind and walks on the water.

Santa comes but once a year …
JESUS is an ever-present help.

Santa fills your stockings with goodies …
JESUS supplies all your needs.

Santa comes down your chimney uninvited …
JESUS stands at your door and knocks, and then enters your
heart when invited.

You have to wait in line to see Santa …
JESUS is as close as the mention of His name.

Santa lets you sit on his lap …
JESUS lets you rest in His arms.

Santa doesn’t know your name; all he can say to the little
boy or girl is, “What’s your name?” …
JESUS knew your name before you did. Not only does He know
your name, He also knows your address. He knows your history
and future and He even knows how many hairs are on your
head.

Santa has a belly like a bowl full of jelly …
JESUS has a heart full of love.

All Santa can offer is HO HO HO …
JESUS offers health, help, and hope.

Santa says, “You better not cry” …
JESUS says, “Cast all your cares on me, for I care for you.”

Santa’s little helpers make toys …
JESUS makes new life, mends wounded hearts, repairs broken
homes, and builds mansions.

Santa may make you chuckle, but …
JESUS gives you joy that is your strength.

While Santa puts gifts under your tree …
JESUS became our gift and died on a tree.

It’s obvious there is really no comparison. We need to
remember WHO Christmas is all about. We need to put Christ
back in CHRISTmas. Jesus is still the reason for the season.

Yes, Jesus is better, he is even better than Santa Claus >>

Received from DGJPARSONS.
 
Pfaffenhoffen said:
Why Jesus Is Better than Santa Claus

Santa lives at the North Pole …
JESUS is everywhere.

Santa rides in a sleigh …
JESUS rides on the wind and walks on the water.

Santa comes but once a year …
JESUS is an ever-present help.

Santa fills your stockings with goodies …
JESUS supplies all your needs.

Santa comes down your chimney uninvited …
JESUS stands at your door and knocks, and then enters your
heart when invited.

You have to wait in line to see Santa …
JESUS is as close as the mention of His name.

Santa lets you sit on his lap …
JESUS lets you rest in His arms.

Santa doesn’t know your name; all he can say to the little
boy or girl is, “What’s your name?” …
JESUS knew your name before you did. Not only does He know
your name, He also knows your address. He knows your history
and future and He even knows how many hairs are on your
head.

Santa has a belly like a bowl full of jelly …
JESUS has a heart full of love.

All Santa can offer is HO HO HO …
JESUS offers health, help, and hope.

Santa says, “You better not cry” …
JESUS says, “Cast all your cares on me, for I care for you.”

Santa’s little helpers make toys …
JESUS makes new life, mends wounded hearts, repairs broken
homes, and builds mansions.

Santa may make you chuckle, but …
JESUS gives you joy that is your strength.

While Santa puts gifts under your tree …
JESUS became our gift and died on a tree.

It’s obvious there is really no comparison. We need to
remember WHO Christmas is all about. We need to put Christ
back in CHRISTmas. Jesus is still the reason for the season.

Yes, Jesus is better, he is even better than Santa Claus >>

Received from DGJPARSONS.
Click to expand...
we are talking about Saint Nick

not santa clause

two different people
 
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