December 6: St. Nicholas' Day

December 6th is the feast day of St. Nicholas, a fourth century saint who wore red, was known for being kind to children and giving out presents. Some people claim that he is the "real" Santa Claus but I get a little peeved by that. Santa Claus is just as real as St. Nicholas, and just as real as any other mythological or legendary person who we look up to and aspire to be like. He's just as real as Persephone, Cernunnos, St. Patrick or even (getting in deep here - ) Jesus. Santa Claus is the spirit of joyful giving in the deep winter and St. Nicholas comes out of that same impulse. Their mythologies are very closely related, and in the end 
celebrating one is celebrating the other. Here in America we usually celebrate Santa, but in Europe St. Nicholas is the more common archetype. 

On the evening of December 5th children all over Europe carefully place their shoes by the fire place or near the door. Instead of the cookies and milk we Americans leave for Santa, they leave straw or a carrot for St. Nicholas' donkey. In the morning they find a small orange, a piece of chocolate or a cookie, a coin and/or any number of other small treats that the generous saint left behind for good children. 

It has always seemed to me that the point of these mythologies, stories of cheerful men giving away gifts in the darkest winter, is to encourage us to become one with them. Santa is real, he lives in each one of us who gives gifts this time of year for no reason other than to give them. Anonymous gifts, particularly thoughtful gifts, little gifts for "no reason at all", these are how Santa or St. Nicholas are brought into our world. 

A Rhyme for Nicholas

-Elenor Farjeon

Nicholas, Saint of Children
Loves to spend his wealth
On pretty toys for girls and boys,
Leaving them by stealth.
The wind in the chimney
Hears children call:
"Bring me this, Saint Nicholas!
Bring me that, Saint Nicholas!
           A silky scarf,
           A bag of sweets,
           A big gold ball!"

Nicholas, Saint of Sailors,
Children of the sea,
When their sails are torn by gales
Close at hand is he.
The wind in the rigging
Hears the sailors cry:
"Save us here, old Nicholas!
Save us there, good Nicholas!
           Saint of Sailors,
           Bring us safe
           Home, high and dry!"

How do you celebrate the spirit of joyful giving this time of year? Does Santa come to your house, or does St. Nicholas? Maybe you tell a completely different story about why or how to give. I'd love to hear it.

Merry Christmas!