Saint Nicholas

Saint Nicholas always visits on December 6. He has as long as I can remember, because he is my patron saint. He is the saint of children and of unmarried women, caring kindly, and selflessly, always bringing little goodies to children who leave their shoes out on the eve of his day.

I have read a number of different stories and beliefs about Saint Nicholas. He was a real person and in our family, he has not morphed into Santa Claus who delivers presents for Christmas Day. Our kids believe Saint Nicholas and Santa are two different people, cousins perhaps? The Saint Nicholas we all imagine is tall and thin, with a long grey beard, and a white horse. We leave shoes out in hopes of a gift, a glass of wine for Saint Nicholas, and a carrot for his horse.

He never fails to deliver a little special something, often something needed or useful, as well as wanted, and thanks to my mom and her own special connection with Saint Nicholas, the adults in our little family get a little something in our shoes too.

This year, the kids got new wool socks and they each received one of Sigi De Francesca's lovely gnome books. I will read Little Brown Mouse's with him, but Lala Bug read hers in one day and loved it.

For several years now, I have wished there were some Saint Nicholas stories that aligned with our simpler thoughts about Saint Nicholas not being the same as Santa. We enjoyed a short several day story by Christine Natale this year. In addition, we now have St. Nicholas by Jakob Streit, which we will be reading, as Little Brown Mouse will be learning about several saints this year.

Upon on his snow white steed
With wind and lightning speed
St. Nicholas leaves the sky
And comes a-riding by

The little hare hops nigh
And lifts his nose up high
The stag with pointing horn
Leaps over bush and thorn

And all the creatures dear
Are drawing quickly near
Before St. Nicholas bow
Their little heads so low

And we will learn a tune
Of sun and star and moon
And sing our happy lay
Sing on St. Nicholas Day!

~ Traditional German Verse