Friday, December 5, 2008

Happy St. Nicholas Day



St. Nicholas Day is December 6. As you can see, he is not wearing a red suit and a white beard. Historically, he was a bishop. He was very generous. I am hoping that my sidebar Saint of the Day is featuring him today, because his story is worth telling. His feastday is big in Europe. My dad used to make me polish my shoes real well before leaving them in the window for St. Nick. When I taught second grade, I would alway get to school really early on December 6 (St. Nicholas Day), put treats on my students' desks, write a note on the board about how since they were so good, they were my first stop and I got there really early. I would tell them to be nice to their teacher :-) because I remember her from when she was a little girl, and that, come to think of it, she has been very good this year, too :-). Then I would go downstairs, to the parking lot, back to my car, and drive away. I would come back just when the kids were supposed to go in, so that we would go up together, I would unlock the door, and they would find...oh it was so much fun! I had as much fun watching the children's joy as they had finding their treats. I love St. Nicholas! God bless you!

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sounds like you were a very good teacher Helen. I bet those children loved you!

I can just picture you doing this. Well kinda, since I HAVE NO PICTURE OF YOU!
Please, post a pic! AT least decsribe yourself! What color is your hair? Is it long, short, bangs, curly, wavy, straight, olive complexioned or fair, freckles,eye color, best feature?

COme on, give me sumthin'!

Beth said...

The sidebar does feature St. Nicolas...and very informative. I like reading about the saints. I know almost nothing about them except St. Augustine because my mom did a book on him.

wv: exces. Seems ironic. Excess without the extra s?

Helen said...

Sherri, I look like the Heat Miser in the video I previously posted, except that I am a little taller, more fatter, my hair has only streaks of red but is mostly brown, and I wear pants. Otherwise, he and I could be twins. Oh, if he wore glasses ;-0

Helen said...

Beth, your mom did a book on St. Augustine! What is the title? I would love to read it!

Anonymous said...

I remember getting a letter 'from Santa' on Christmas morning, which inexplicably was penned in my mother's handwriting. He would tell us that we had been good boys, but we could still be nicer to one another and not fight so much, etc etc. I think we took it pretty seriously, perhaps for the whole day. But when you've already tricked the old man out of all the loot with a month of good behavior, and he doesn't come back for a year, what's he going to do about it?

Life Is Beautiful said...

We dont do St. Nick in Ireland on Dec 6, but in Slovakia they do...so I filled one of my girlfriends shoes with little treats and brought it to her at work. It is a nice tradition, the first time I have seen it.