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12-08-2010, 08:02 PM
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Guess what my favorite holiday is? Halloween? No, although I do LOVE to jump into my Terris Thule costume. Thanksgiving? Guess again. The one I love the most is… SAINT NIKOLAUS DAY!!!
What do you mean*you’ve*never heard of it??! Let me tell you what you’re missing.
German tradition asks you to clean your shoes on the night of December 5th and to leave them in front of the door. Over the course of the night, Nikolaus fills the shoes with treats, making December 6th a very happy day for those of us who were good throughout the year.
Sound familiar? There’s that other guy that goes from house to house and stuffs treats into footwear… oh that’s right, Santa Claus! In fact, Nikolaus and Santa even look pretty similar. So who exactly is Nikolaus and who came first, Nikolaus or Santa Claus? *Any guesses?
To answer the first question, Nikolaus was actually a real person (Nikolaos of Myra). He was a bishop who devoted his life to help those in need and had a reputation for giving secret gifts to people. Many even claim that he was responsible for miracles.
He died on December 6th and this is why this day is celebrated as Nikolaus day in many countries, particularly in Europe.
European Immigrants brought the Saint Nikolaus traditions into the United States. We see this come to light every Christmas Eve as children throughout the U.S. put their stockings out, hoping that they will be filled with treats when they wake up on Christmas Day. Of course here, it is Santa Claus who fills the stockings and this brings us to the second question: Who came first—Nikolaus or Santa Claus? In the early years of what is now the United States, Dutch immigrants celebrated the Sinterklaasfeest in places such as New Amsterdam (present day New York City) and Sinterklaas would soon become Santa Claus, or as he as otherwise known, Old St. Nicholas!
The key question, however, is: have YOU been good this year?
By Shirra – German Community Relations Rep
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Guess what my favorite holiday is? Halloween? No, although I do LOVE to jump into my Terris Thule costume. Thanksgiving? Guess again. The one I love the most is… SAINT NIKOLAUS DAY!!!
What do you mean*you’ve*never heard of it??! Let me tell you what you’re missing.
German tradition asks you to clean your shoes on the night of December 5th and to leave them in front of the door. Over the course of the night, Nikolaus fills the shoes with treats, making December 6th a very happy day for those of us who were good throughout the year.
Sound familiar? There’s that other guy that goes from house to house and stuffs treats into footwear… oh that’s right, Santa Claus! In fact, Nikolaus and Santa even look pretty similar. So who exactly is Nikolaus and who came first, Nikolaus or Santa Claus? *Any guesses?
To answer the first question, Nikolaus was actually a real person (Nikolaos of Myra). He was a bishop who devoted his life to help those in need and had a reputation for giving secret gifts to people. Many even claim that he was responsible for miracles.
He died on December 6th and this is why this day is celebrated as Nikolaus day in many countries, particularly in Europe.
European Immigrants brought the Saint Nikolaus traditions into the United States. We see this come to light every Christmas Eve as children throughout the U.S. put their stockings out, hoping that they will be filled with treats when they wake up on Christmas Day. Of course here, it is Santa Claus who fills the stockings and this brings us to the second question: Who came first—Nikolaus or Santa Claus? In the early years of what is now the United States, Dutch immigrants celebrated the Sinterklaasfeest in places such as New Amsterdam (present day New York City) and Sinterklaas would soon become Santa Claus, or as he as otherwise known, Old St. Nicholas!
The key question, however, is: have YOU been good this year?
By Shirra – German Community Relations Rep
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