Nikolaus!
Today, the 6th of December is a very special day in Germany.
Yesterday evening almost every child in Germany brushed and cleaned their shoes, put them on the window sill and waited anxiously. Desperately trying to stay awake and catch a glimpse of St.Nikolaus. During the night he comes and fills your shoes with something sweet, a toy and nuts and oranges.
He was born somewhere in Turkey and was a bishop in his time. He was very nice to children and often gave them treats. When he died, people remebered him and named a church after him and ever since he has rewarded their belief with little treats for the kids on the 6th. The bishops bones were stolen at some point and brought to Italy where they are now at rest in the Niklas Basilika.
I loved that guy when I was a kid. He has been good to me. Mostly because he never punished children, Santa used to scare the living daylight out of me! This morning when I woke up, I checked my shoe and NOTHING! Was sad all day until mom rang and told me that Nikolaus had gotten the adress wrong, he thought I already had moved. Something was in my room at their place and she saw a man with a white beard and a bishops hat coming through the window. :)
Gosh, and I almost gave up believing in his existence...
Yesterday evening almost every child in Germany brushed and cleaned their shoes, put them on the window sill and waited anxiously. Desperately trying to stay awake and catch a glimpse of St.Nikolaus. During the night he comes and fills your shoes with something sweet, a toy and nuts and oranges.
He was born somewhere in Turkey and was a bishop in his time. He was very nice to children and often gave them treats. When he died, people remebered him and named a church after him and ever since he has rewarded their belief with little treats for the kids on the 6th. The bishops bones were stolen at some point and brought to Italy where they are now at rest in the Niklas Basilika.
I loved that guy when I was a kid. He has been good to me. Mostly because he never punished children, Santa used to scare the living daylight out of me! This morning when I woke up, I checked my shoe and NOTHING! Was sad all day until mom rang and told me that Nikolaus had gotten the adress wrong, he thought I already had moved. Something was in my room at their place and she saw a man with a white beard and a bishops hat coming through the window. :)
Gosh, and I almost gave up believing in his existence...
14 Comments:
Believe!
Such a sweet post! Makes me smile.
Interesting! I never knew this.
Oof! You had me worried for a second! I am glad to hear it was because he got the adress wrong! Silly Nikolaus!
TLP, yes it is what this season is about:belief. I belief in Nikolaus-obviously- and people(in general), forgiveness and in the ability to fix what is broken.
AP3, Different countries-different habits. Just what until I tell you about Iceland´s 13 Santa Clauses...it will start on the 11th!
miz bohemia, But it must have been trouble for him to come all the way to Iceland for one believing German, so we have to cut him some slack.
Keith, I am so sad you never got to experience him. He really is quite amazing, but he is for German kids. I mean the queen does not come to Germany drives around and waves her hand :) We all have our advantages and disadvantages ;)
In California he puts scorpions in kids shoes. They're yummy.
No he does not! I refuse to believe that. Maybe he´ll have a viper for you this year ;)
At our old house we would sometimes find cat food in our shoes. The mice would steal it from the cats' bowl and hide it in our shoes in the closet for safekeeping. I'd rather have chocolate and oranges.
I'm with AP3, I just learned something. I'm definitely in the spirit now!
Oh, you poor kids! Never got to know St. Nikolaus: that is the consequence of Coca Cola steeling the image of this slim, elegant man and making a grinning fat Santa claus instead who comes at the wrong day, too. No wonder he strikes in english speaking countries. I would too.
Mom
manchego...why didn´t the cat get the mice and told them about how the food-chain works? :)
Fred, I am teaching you a lot this week ;)
Mom, Fat Santa is kinda cute. Otherwise he could shake his belly like a jar filled with jelly. And let´s face it, a skinny guy cvouldn´t pull of that kinda "Ho,Ho,Ho!"
Wow! What an interesting post. You already have so many comments, I hope there's room for one more ;) I remember hearing once that our fat Santa was nothing but a commercial invention. I also heard he really wore a green suit, not red - does your German fellow wear green?
anna, there is always place for more comments and it is quite delightful to get them. To your question:
As far as I know, Saint Nicholas of Myra was the first when it came to a gift giver around Christmas time.
In Britain he appears in the 17th century as a well nurished man with long green robes. He was called Father Christmas and I think.
British people still call him that. At some point these two: St.Nicolas and Father Christmas merged and the merged belly shaking man got the name Santa Claus from the Dutch Sinterklaas. So he exchanged the green robes for the red, but he remained a big bellied man. A British friend of mine once told me that she used to put out milk and cookies for Father Christmas, so I am not surprised that he is rather big...imagine flying around the world, giving every child Christmas presents and you have to live on milk and cookies :)
Monika, you are a fountain of knowledge!
Mom
Mom, thax*blush*
Sarah, welcome sweety. Still have to reply to your e-mail :) Didn´t know Santa got milk and cookies in teh States as well. I guess we all learn something new every day!
Post a Comment
Bow Before Your Queen and be Transported HOME!