pashtrd
12-06-2009, 06:39 PM
I had no idea St. Nick's day was not a widely celebrated holiday. My family has always celebrated it as far back as I can remember.
Does your family?
From Wikipedia:
Celebration in the United States
While feasts of Saint Nicholas are not observed nationally, cities with strong German influences like Milwaukee (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milwaukee), Cincinnati (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cincinnati), Cleveland (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cleveland), and St. Louis (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Louis,_Missouri) celebrate St. Nick's Day on a scale similar to the German custom.[5] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Nicholas#cite_note-4) On December 5 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/December_5), the Eve of St. Nicholas Day, each child puts one empty shoe outside their bedroom door or on a staircase before they go to sleep. The following morning of December 6 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/December_6), the children awake to find that St. Nick has filled their footwear with candy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candy) and small presents (if the children have been good) or coal (if not). For these children, the relationship between St. Nick and Santa Claus is not clearly defined, although St. Nick is usually explained to be a helper of Santa. The tradition of St. Nick's Day is firmly established in the Milwaukee, Cincinnati, Cleveland and St. Louis communities, with parents often continuing to observe the day with their adult children. Widespread adoption of observing the tradition has spread among the German, Polish, Belgian and Dutch communities throughout Wisconsin, and is carried out through modern times.
Does your family?
From Wikipedia:
Celebration in the United States
While feasts of Saint Nicholas are not observed nationally, cities with strong German influences like Milwaukee (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milwaukee), Cincinnati (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cincinnati), Cleveland (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cleveland), and St. Louis (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Louis,_Missouri) celebrate St. Nick's Day on a scale similar to the German custom.[5] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Nicholas#cite_note-4) On December 5 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/December_5), the Eve of St. Nicholas Day, each child puts one empty shoe outside their bedroom door or on a staircase before they go to sleep. The following morning of December 6 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/December_6), the children awake to find that St. Nick has filled their footwear with candy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candy) and small presents (if the children have been good) or coal (if not). For these children, the relationship between St. Nick and Santa Claus is not clearly defined, although St. Nick is usually explained to be a helper of Santa. The tradition of St. Nick's Day is firmly established in the Milwaukee, Cincinnati, Cleveland and St. Louis communities, with parents often continuing to observe the day with their adult children. Widespread adoption of observing the tradition has spread among the German, Polish, Belgian and Dutch communities throughout Wisconsin, and is carried out through modern times.