Greetings for St Nicholas Day
Greetings for St Nicholas Day
Blog Article
While Christmas gets all the attention, a smaller December holiday known as St. Nicholas Day has some pretty fascinating traditions of its own, including leaving shoes out to be filled with gifts and a big holiday feast on the eve of the celebration (Sinterklaasavond). It’s also a chance to remind those we love that the season of giving can and should extend far beyond just one special day.
The Feast of Saint Nicholas is Grüßezum Nikolaustag celebrated on December 6 in countries such as Germany, Austria, Northern Italy, Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia and the Netherlands. It is often seen as a precursor to Santa, and children leave their empty shoes out for the old bishop to fill with treats, similar to how people hang stockings by the fireplace for Christmas. This is because one of the many stories about the kind 4th century bishop centers around him dropping coins into a poor man’s shoe to help pay a dowry for his daughters, hence the tradition of leaving out shoes to be filled with treats.
But he’s not alone on his gift-giving rounds; he travels with a dark companion who goes by many names depending on the region: Knecht Ruprecht, Black Peter, Pelznickel and, most famously, Krampus. He’s the menacing figure who punishes misbehaving children, a scary creature that borrows traits from demons, beasts and even – in some regions — the devil.
In churches, he’s usually portrayed as a bearded man riding on a donkey with a book and basket full of presents, or in more traditional ways as an older man with a long beard and dressed in red and white. Bakeries and homes are hives of activity as spiced cookies, cakes, breads and a special brioche shaped like the saint (Sinterklaasbrood) are made. And schools and nursery schools are aglow with the sound of kids singing and acting out their favorite stories about St. Nick and his companion.
Food is a big part of the celebration, too, with tables spread with wine, breads and special St. Nicholas-shaped cookies as well as a main dish that differs from country to country, but could be stew, pork, soup or German pancakes. It is typically eaten with family on the eve of the feast, or Sinterklaasavond in the Netherlands.
So, from me and my family to yours, here are our greetings for this special day: “Wishing you a very happy and blessed St. Nicholas Day!” —David and JoAnne Report this page