St. Nicholas Day is the most cherished and long-awaited holiday for children. Everyone knows that when the Orthodox calendar celebrates the feast of St. Nicholas in Ukraine and other Orthodox countries - December 19. It has religious roots, respectively, the centuries-old ecclesiastical traditions of celebration.
Signs and traditions associated with the feast of St. Nicholas
According to Orthodox customs, St. Nicholas on this holiday, to be exact, on the night of December 18-19, presents children with presents. Usually children are looking forward to the morning to look under the pillow, waiting to find there sweet and pleasant gifts and souvenirs.
Also there is a belief that if you make your cherished wish the night before the holiday, the Holy One will certainly perform it. And still - until this day you must definitely pay off with all your debts.
Saint Nicholas - the history of the holiday
There are several legends associated with this famous and beloved Saints. According to one of them, once a very long time in the small town of Mira in Asia Minor lived a young man Nikolai. He grew up in a rich family, was the only and most beloved son. However, he became an early orphan.
Once he learned that a certain poor girl could not marry because of the lack of a dowry. Then the young man realized that there are people who have nothing, whereas he does not need anything. At night, he took the money from home and made his way to the girl, throwing her a bag of coins in the window. The next morning the whole town discussed that an angel came to the girl.
After this, Nikolai did a great many good deeds, remaining an unknown virtue, leading the townspeople into perplexity. He imperceptibly brought medicines to the sick, toys and little things for children.
Once his good deeds became known, and Nicholas was elected bishop. After his death, miracles continued. People who come to his grave and ask for something, certainly got what they wanted. And the children, who had been well behaved the whole year, received sweets on the Day of Birth. As a result, Nicholas was ranked as Saints.
How to introduce the child to the feast of St. Nicholas?
On the eve of the holiday arrange the child correspondence with the Holy One. Let the kid receive from Nicholas a message transmitted through angels. Just do not print it on the computer - it's not at all fabulous and not magical. Write a letter with a golden pen on the beautiful paper.
In the text it is possible to mention what your kid is good for, how obedient and kind he was all year, how he tried to learn and helped his parents. You can scold the child for disobedience, but then say that you believe in his correction.
Further, Saint Nicholas can give the child a small task like a rhyme, drawing or applique . In the end, mention that for the task that has been performed, Saint will bring him presents. We are sure that the kid will be delighted and impressed by the real letter in the envelope signed by Saint Nicholas himself!
In response, you can write or draw a letter with the child and put it at the window, so that the angels will give it to the Saint.
On the eve of the holiday, do not forget to prepare the promised gifts for the baby. In some other countries, Nikolai puts gifts in his toes on the fireplace, but Orthodox presents are still under the pillows.
What does Saint Nicholas give?
The most important symbol of the holiday of St. Nicholas is sweet and fragrant gingerbread in the shape of angels, Saint himself, as well as stars, hearts and so on. They are popularly called "nikolajchikami" and bake in advance, but so that the children do not understand where the food came from. Remember the legend and children's expectations!
Also on this day it is customary to give children pleasant little things, toys, ornaments in the form of angels. If a child in his letter to St. Nicholas made a special gift, be sure to fulfill his dream. Let the faith in miracles and goodness persist longer in the child's heart!