St. Nicholas Day is popular in Europe, and it is especially big in Holland. There, gifts are placed in shoes left outside the door. This was the precursor to the tradition of stockings.

Though Dutch and other European immigrants brought the tradition of gifts on St. Nicholas Day with them to America, it is not as widely celebrated here, though it seems to be gaining some steam.

I wasn’t familiar with St. Nicholas Day until I attended college at Notre Dame. On December 5th, the residents of Lewis Hall were told to leave their shoes outside their rooms. In the morning, the long, rather sterile hallway was lined with shoes full with candy and treats, a welcome moment of joy in the middle of finals and end of semester stress.

Here are some of the reasons why, two decades later, I love St. Nicholas Day.

Simplicity

It illustrates that the small things can have a big impact. Along those lines, I love this quote from Edward Hays in A Pilgrim’s Almanac:

“It is fitting that the feast of St. Nicholas comes at the beginning of Advent and the beginning of the shopper’s season. As the patron saint of shoppers he proclaims, ‘Keep it simple!’ Keep it simple enough to fit in a shoe or a stocking.

One gift that could fit in a … shoe, or in a stocking hanging on the fireplace, is a note that speaks of one of our most precious gifts, the gift of time. Such a St. Nicholas note might read: ‘The gift I give to you is half an hour of quality conversation each night right after the dishes are done.’ Or, ‘The gift I give to you is one Saturday a month to be with you and do whatever you want to do.’”

He adds, “Come, St. Nicholas, patron of shoppers and gift-seekers, and make Christmas this year fun, creative and love-filled.”

If you’re like me and love the coupon idea, you can find some printable coupon for dates with mom or dad here and Christmas coupons that work for parents and kids (including breakfast in bed, chores and quality time) here. Some are blank to allow you to customize it.

Pacing

In addition to the simplicity of the holiday, I love the idea of spreading out the treats. Admittedly, there is no shortage of treats in the month of December, but a small surprise or even a little bit of candy given now will probably be more appreciated and savored by kids than on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, when there is so much of absolutely everything and they often become overwhelmed.

Children have the magical ability to appreciate the little things, and St. Nicholas Day is a chance to do just that.

Giving

It’s also a perfect chance to talk about the generous spirit of St. Nicholas and ask kids how they can be like him on this day. Perhaps it’s something as simple as taking some cookies to a neighbor or writing a note of appreciation to someone. Last year, my kiddo opted to leave a candy bar in the mailbox for the letter carrier knowing that this is a busy time of year. It may not have changed the world, but teaching kids about both the joy of giving and their ability to do so are gifts themselves

Will you celebrate St. Nicholas Day this year?

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