ST. NICHOLAS FOR KIDS Worship & Formation for Families with Young Children St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church | Perrysburg, Ohio saint-timothy.net For the Adult Reader/Companion About the cover, The Spirit of Christmas, painted by Edward Hays The Spirit of Christmas’ central figure is St. Nicholas of Myra, a fourth century bishop of the Church. He is the patron saint of children, merchants and sailors (symbolized by the toy boat in the bag of gifts) and of countries like Greece and Russia. In Europe on his feast of December 6, someone dressed as St. Nicholas visits children with gifts of candy and fruit. That custom was brought to the New World by early Dutch settlers. It’s easy to see how that generous personage has evolved into our present-day Santa Claus, whose name is an Americanized version of the Dutch Sinta Klaas. In the parable-painting, St. Nicholas, fully robed as a bishop, symbolizes the Church, without which there would be no Christ Mass, no feast of Christ’s Nativity. The Church is responsible for the rich and diverse collage of this holiday, which seventeenth century reformers attempted – but failed – to suppress. Throughout the centuries the Church had blended into the celebration of Christ’s birth many Northern European images and pre-Christian symbols of the winter solstice. The Christmas tree, so central to Christmastide, is a sixteenth century tradition carried to America by German immigrants. St. Nicholas holds in his left hand a branch of holly, whose appearance in old England opened the yuletide season of feasting. He also holds some mistletoe, sacred to Britain’s Druids,. Known as the “all heal” plant, it became a symbol of Christ the Divine Healer. The evergreen Advent wreath on the bishop’s staff, or crozier, symbolizes the Church’s four weeks of prayerful preparation for the feast of Christmas. This Advent theme is reinforced by the images on the bishop’s cape, or cope. At the bottom left is St. John the Baptist, and next to him St. Isaiah, both of whom foretold the coming of Immanuel. Beside Isaiah is St. Lucy, whose name means light and whose feast is on December 13. Custom in Scandinavian countries has a young girl wearing a crown of lighted candles awakening her family with treats of coffee and cakes on this feast. Lucy’s candles symbolize the important role of light in this winter holiday season. Above these saints is an icon of Mary as the Mother holding the Christ Child, the heart of the Christmas celebration. Mary is honored during the Advent days of preparation on December 12 with the beautiful Mexican- American feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Above Mary and Christ in the painting I the Archangel Gabriel, the messenger of the birth of Immanuel. The scroll bears his greeting to Mary and her being “full of grace” and reminds us of the other Advent feast in her honor, the Immaculate Conception on December 8. Archangel Gabriel’s image also reflects the role of angels in the story of Christ’s birth. All these images speak of the prayerful yet festive nature of Advent. Unlike Lent, these days of preparation should not be devoid of decoration and celebration. St. Nicholas, like Santa Claus, carries a large bag filled with gifts of toys. Christmas is a great feast for children of all ages. It is the feast of giving gifts since it commemorates the world’s greatest gift: our Savior. The books in Nicholas’ bag suggest that no other holiday has so many legends and stories. The presence of the Three Magi Kings on the other side of the bishop’s cope point to the tradition celebrating Christmas for twelve days. The great star above the Magi is a symbol of the feast of Epiphany which conclu8des the season with the Magi’s gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. It also incorporates the celebration of Christ’s birth by all Orthodox and Eastern churches on January 6. While Christmas is a feast for the eyes and the mind, it is also a feast for the ears and the soul. It is a feast of music. No other holiday or holy day has such a rich tradition of song and music. The elf musicians crowded into the bishop’s miter cap reflect both the presence of the elfish fantasy world of Christmas as well as the wealth of music I the ancient carols and songs of this feast. With legends and saints, with evergreen and timeless carols, with fantasy and imagination, with ancient pre-Christian and Scripturally rooted Christian customs, the Spirit of Christmas is truly a feast of home, heart and soul. -Edward Hays A Man Named Nicholas by Ann Marie Gidus-Mecera Today I am going to tell you a story about a very kind and generous man. He was born almost three hundred years after Jesus went up to heaven. This man was named Nicholas. He came from a town called Myra, far away from here. Nicholas’ parents loved Jesus our Savior very much and taught Nicholas how to be a good Christian. When Nicholas was a boy, his uncle was the Bishop of Myra. When Nicholas grew up, he became a priest. Nicholas loved children very much even though he didn’t have any children of his own. One day, Nicholas heard about a poor man in his town who had three daughters. The man could no longer take care of his daughters. He had no money to feed them or buy them clothes. This made Nicholas so sad that he made a plan. Nicholas waited until it was dark. He filled a bag with money and secretly left it at the poor man’s door. The man was surprised when he found the bag of money at his door in the morning! He wondered who left it there. The next night, Nicholas filled another bag with money and secretly left it at the man’s door. Again, the man found the money in the morning and wondered who left it there. The third night, Nicholas filled still another bag with money and placed it at the man’s door. But the poor man saw Nicholas and came to the door before Nicholas could leave. The poor man was so happy that his children would have food and clothing. He was so happy that Nicholas had been so kind. One day, Nicholas’ uncle, the Bishop of Myra, died and Nicholas became the new bishop. Even after he became a bishop, he still found time to look after the children and poor in his town. Bishop Nicholas became a saint and now we know him as Saint Nicholas. Many children call him Santa Claus. We remember Saint Nicholas because of his kindness and the generous gifts he gave to others. We remember Saint Nicholas in the Orthodox Church on December 6. This day comes a few weeks before Christmas. One reason we give gifts to one another at Christmas is to remember the kindness Saint Nicholas had for those around him. To Talk About 1. Who was Nicholas’ Uncle? The Bishop of Myra. 2. Why did Nicholas leave money at the poor man’s door? To feed and clothe the man’s children. He felt sad they were poor. 3. When Nicholas’ uncle, the bishop died, who became the new bishop? Nicholas From A Way of Life: Introducing Your Child to the Orthodox Faith, A Religious Education Pre-School Program for Parents by Ann Marie Gidus-Mecera, Orthodox Christian Publications Center, OCA, 1991, p. 94. Used by permission. St. Nicholas and American Christmas Customs Waves of European immigrants brought cherished St. Nicholas holiday traditions to the United States. Over time these have melded into some common practices. If one looks closely, these reveal some distinctive characteristics of beloved St. Nicholas. Christmas stockings by the fireplace And the stockings were hung by the chimney with care in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there, goes the oft repeated Christmas rhyme. In the story of Nicholas rescuing the poor maidens from being sold into slavery, the gold dowry money, tossed in through the window, is said to have landed in stockings left to dry before the fire. Orange or tangerine in the toe of filled Christmas stockings The gold Nicholas threw to provide the dowry money is often shown as gold balls. These are symbolized by oranges or even apples. So the orange in the toe of the stocking is a reminder of Nicholas’ gift. Candy Canes * These are really candy croziers, one of St. Nicholas’ symbols. All bishops carry staffs, hooked at the top like a shepherd’s crook, showing they are the shepherds who care for, or tend, their people. Gift-giving in secret, during the night Stockings are filled while children are sleeping. Nicholas did his gift giving secretly, under cover of darkness. He didn’t want to be seen and recognized as he wanted those he helped to give thanks to God. Seasonal concern for the needy St. Nicholas gave gifts to those in greatest need—the young and the most vulnerable. Christmas gifts and baskets given to those in need, along with other seasonal contributions to charity, reflect St. Nicholas’ unselfish concern for others. He never wanted or expected anything in return. * A crozier, or bishop’s staff, is a common symbol for a bishop and is often used to identify St. Nicholas. Symbolizing a shepherd’s staff, it is a visible reminder of a bishop’s responsibility to care for people as the Good Shepherd cares for his sheep.