St. Nicholas (December 6)

The Feast of St. Nicholas c.1663 Steen, Jan.

Activities
All things St. Nick at The St. Nicholas Center.  Everything you ever need to make December 6 all about the good bishop of Myra! Recipes, games, ethnic traditions, coloring pages, etc.  I wish every feast, commemoration, and season had a one-stop-shop like St. Nicholas! (I suppose then I wouldn't have this blog...)

Last night the kids put their shoes outside their door and we filled them with almonds and "money candy."  Today we are going to make Speculatius (image) Cookies and Pfeffernuesse (peppernuts).  We will use this template for the Speculatius.  The kids will drink hot chocolate and the mister and I will enjoy Bisschopswijn with cookies tonight around the Advent wreath.  Only on St. Nicholas and St. Lucia/Lucy Days do we break our Advent sugar and treat fast. (And do we ever break it...)

One tradition has the man of the house dressing up as St. Nicholas, then helping the children to examine their consciences (I imagine we get the modern "naughty and nice" lists from this tradition).  This would be a good way to tie St. Nicholas's Day with the rest of Advent, the season of Preparation.  "St. Nicholas" could guide the children through the Small Catechism questions on Confession and Absolution or through the Ten Commandments and Penitential Psalms.

In honor of St. Nicholas's charity, each year we choose toys or clothes to give to a local mission.  This year I decided each giver will give as many as he is years old.

Send me your favorite Christmas recipes, and I'll include them this week in one of two posts: Christmas Cookies and Homemade Christmas Treats to Gift.  Tell me why you and your family like the recipes!