SAINT NICHOLAS

Today we celebrate St. Nicholas Day.  Children everywhere leave out their shoes on December 5^th hoping to find them filled with toys, coins, and sweets when they wake up.  My experience of the day is a bit different this year.  I month ago I adopted a kitten (she’s 3 months old now) and one of her favorite things to do is to play with my shoes, and to play with her toys in my shoes.   So when I wake up, I find my shoes filled with her toys instead of candies and coins.

The real St. Nicholas was a bishop in Myra (now part of modern Turkey).  He lived from 270-343 and was know for his piety.  Because of this, he was one of the bishops invited by the Emperor Constantine to take part in the First Council of Nicaea.  Nicholas was also known for his generosity and secret gift-giving, thus making him an early model for our current Santa Clause.

On a side note, Nicholas, who is patron saint of many things including children and sailors, is also the patron saint of haberdashers, which makes him a favorite of mine.  So whether you remember him as a great gift-giver or the protector men’s clothing stores, take a moment to celebrate this great man whose memory gives so much to this wonderful season.

HAPPY SAINT NICHOLAS DAY!!!