Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus, and his original name is
St. Nicholas!
There are many St. Nicholas beliefs, stories and traditions from all over the world! His Feast Day is joyously celebrated by Catholics and Greeks, and St. Nicholas is still venerated in many countries on his Feast Day, December 6th, where his special day has not been transferred to Christ's Nativity, December 25th.
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| Old Holy Cards of St. Nicholas. |
He was a Bishop of the Catholic Church in Myra, which is now Turkey, and died December 6th, 343 A.D. He produced many miracles and to be declared a Saint, among other things, he lived a very holy life worth emulating. Putting his Feast Day back where it belongs is just one way of making Christmas time a real 'season', and makes more sense out of this time. Many parents are taking this feast day back by celebrating it and leaving Santa out of Christmas, which is a major Feast Day of Our Lord - His Nativity, the greatest gift God gave to man.
His relics in a marble tomb, now in Bari, Italy, emit an oil which has healing properties called St. Nicholas' Oil, even to this day...
There are very good resources, historically accurate information, holy cards, activities, and much more here: St. Nicholas Center.
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| I love this drawing! |
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This is a Feast Day that has many traditions from all over the world - sleighs, ships, children, gold or coins, and so on. Catholic Cuisine (at right) will also have food ideas for this Feast Day. So, decorating is really endless. (One of our trees is just Santas and St. Nicholas-es.)
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| Our Advent Wreath this year; a Costco outdoor wreath on top of a mirror with three purple and one pink candle. |
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| Our St. Nicholas Day this year is very small compared to years past. Instead of stockings or clogs, candy gold balls, etc., we have a tabletop decoration with a small gift for each of us, nuts, three oranges, some candy and a statue of St. Nick. I also decorated the house a little. |
St. Nicholas' Feast Day is celebrated by Catholics and many others, for them it extends the holidays (holy days) to their original time frame in this season, and it gives real meaning to each of the season's symbols (Santa, gift giving, trees, etc.).
Celebrating Christmas time this way also helps to eliminate the materialism of this time, giving personal virtues (like those of the saints') more focus. It helps keep the entire family more 'home centered'. Who wouldn't want more virtue and less materialism as a focus, and a more home centered life?
Researching these holidays is very interesting for kids - there are many children's St. Nicholas books, and also some good Nativity books. No having to lie or try to make sense out of holidays that don't make sense!
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Santa Lucia - St. Lucy.
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In between the beginning of Advent and Christmas Day, there are
St. Nicholas' Day, December 6th, The Feast of The Immaculate Conception, a Holy Day of Obligation, December 8th,
The Feast Our Lady of Guadalupe, December 12th,
the Feast of St. Lucy (right), December 13th, and so on, until
the Vigil of Christmas Day, then The Nativity Day of Our Lord.
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How St. Lucy's Feast Day has been, and is celebrated.
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| So there are many celebrated 'Feast Day breaks' during the four weeks of Advent, which is like a mini - but lighter version - of Lent; and there are more Feasts during the 12 Days of Christmas after the Nativity! More on this during that time. |
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| This new vintage lid, to this pot, is Bob's gift. |
On the eve or Vigil of St. Nicholas' Feast Day, stockings or shoes (clogs in some European countries) are filled with oranges (for gold balls - look up this story about the Saint) and/ or chocolate coin candies, nuts, and small gifts.
Families make cookies and cakes of all sorts, food, gifts for each other, and of course, discuss how to be more like St. Nicholas for the Christ Child who comes on December 25th.
Happy Feast Day!
XOX
