Happy Christmas To All

Happy Saint Nicholas Day.

Saint Nicholas, the patron saint of children was born on March 15th in the year 270, and died on December 6th, 343. How the deeply spiritual, austere Bishop of the early church transformed into the chimney shimmying, sleigh riding, North Pole residing, fat man of today is a long story bred mostly by the imaginations of American advertising illustrators.

Due to the many miracles attributed to Nicholas' intercession, he is also known as Nikolaus the Wonderworker. My wife and I so love the Christmas holiday, we named our first born child after the Saint, using this unique spelling.

Saint Nicholas had a reputation for secret gift-giving, such as putting coins in the shoes of those who left them out for him, a practice still celebrated in many European countries, and the forerunner of stockings hung with care from mantelpieces.

One legend tells how during a terrible famine, an evil butcher lured three little boys into his house, where he killed them, placing their remains in a barrel to cure, planning to sell them off as ham. Saint Nicholas, visiting the region to care for the hungry, not only saw through the butcher's horrific crime but also resurrected the three children from the barrel by his prayers. (Wikipedia)

Another legend relates the story of a poor man who had three daughters but could not afford a proper dowry for them. This meant that they would remain unmarried and probably, in absence of any other possible employment, would have to become prostitutes. Hearing of the girls' plight, Nicholas decided to help them, but being too modest to help the family in public (or to save them the humiliation of accepting charity), he went to the house under the cover of night and threw three purses (one for each daughter) filled with gold coins through the open window of the house. (Wikipedia)

Because of this tale, depictions of Saint Nicholas often showed him carrying three bags of gold, which later became three gold balls. For this reason, Saint Nicholas is also the patron saint of pawnbrokers.

Traditionally, Saint Nicholas Day is the official start of the Christmas season, and many people use this day to begin decking their halls.

So the next time you see a right jolly old elf with a pack of presents slung over his back, or hear a hearty "Ho Ho Ho," give a thought to the original gift-giver, Saint Nicholas.