How to prepare for St. Nicholas Day? What does a child need to know about this holiday? What gifts can and cannot be given on this day and what to put on the festive table?
A little more, and festive bustle and fun will burst into every house. The time beloved by children begins - a series of New Year's holidays. It opens with one of the brightest and happiest days of the year, St. Nicholas Day. And there is no child in the world who would not wait for a magical night when a kind white-bearded old man puts sweets under his pillow. How to tell a kid why Nikolai brings gifts to children? How to become a helper of this amazing saint and arrange a real miracle for a child? What to cook on this day and how to create a sense of celebration in the house? We have collected simple tips for you.
Who is Saint Nicholas?
It is imperative to tell your child about Nikolai in advance / istockphoto.com
It is worth "acquainting" a child with St. Nicholas a few days before the holiday. Many adults prefer not to go into details, and voiced to the child the usual phrase: "Nikolai brings gifts to good children, and puts a rod for bad ones." At first glance, this is enough (at least, you can ensure the obedience of the baby), but this is only at first glance. The more you tell the child about the life of the saint, the more delight and gratitude the lollipop under the pillow will cause in him.
The legend of Nicholas should be adapted to the age of the child. For example, toddlers and preschoolers can imagine a saint in the form of an angel who helps all children. For a whole year, he watches the children from heaven, and writes down their actions in a special book. For good deeds, the saint rewards the child with a gift. Bad deeds await punishment, so Nikolai brings a rod into the house. But he can delete all wrongdoings from the book if the child realizes them and asks for forgiveness.
Schoolchildren will be interested in hearing the "adult" version of the legend. Start with the fact that Nikolai really lived. And not somewhere far away, but in Turkey, familiar to many - yes, exactly where you rested last year! Moreover, this saint has his own photograph: scientists have managed to recreate his appearance from the relics and historical data. Believe me, such a photo will be much closer to a modern child than an image from an icon.
According to scientists, this was exactly what Saint Nicholas looked like / photo apostrophe.ua
Be sure to share that Nikolai was born into a wealthy family. However, the parents taught their son to live simply and help people in everything. Unfortunately, they died when Nikolai was a teenager. After their death, the boy decided to become a priest and devote himself to God. The money that he got from his parents, he distributed to those who needed it. Most of all, Nikolai took care of orphans and toddlers who lived in poverty. He secretly put gold coins on them and tried to make sure that no one knew about it.
However, people quickly figured out who their main assistant was. Even during his lifetime, they considered Nicholas a holy man. Therefore, the day he died (and this happened on December 19, according to the old style), became a day of grief and at the same time a day of blessed memory. From that time until today, Saint Nicholas has been helping all people from heaven: his heart is open to every request, but most of all he still cares about children.
Main traditions for St. Nicholas Day
The child must write a letter to Nikolay / istockphoto.com
The favorite holiday tradition for a child is, of course, a letter to St. Nicholas. In central and eastern Ukraine, such letters began to be written not so long ago, but in the west of the country this tradition has been sacredly observed for hundreds of years. The priests emphasize there: a letter to a good saint should not only be a request for gifts. First of all, the child should write about what good he did in the past year, what he learned and what he can be proud of.
Explain to your child that Nikolai helps those in need. Therefore, it is customary to ask him about what is actually needed. You should not make a list of 15-20 toys, it is better to make your dreams come true. It is also good to take care of loved ones and ask for something they need: Nikolai will definitely appreciate such an act of the child.
After reading the letter, Nikolai decides whether the child deserves a gift. As in life, the saint tries so that no one sees his good deeds. Therefore, he leaves gifts when everyone in the house is asleep: on the night of December 18-19. Most often, children find surprises in the morning under their pillows, but there is also a tradition of putting them in socks hanging near the fireplace. According to one of the legends, it was there that a gift from Nikolai was found in one of the poor families. He threw gold coins into the chimney, and they fell right into the stockings, which were drying by the fire.
The gift boot can be hung anywhere in the apartment / istockphoto.com
If you don't have a fireplace, you can hang socks near the radiator - one for each family member. Now in supermarkets there is a huge selection of festive textile "boots": they will not only decorate the room, but also become a good container for gifts. Tell the child that Nikolai miraculously enters the apartment through the window. And in the evening on the windowsill you can leave a treat and a note for the saint. So you will teach your child to take care of others (Nikolai needs to eat on the road!) And lay the foundation for another family tradition.
What is customary to give on St. Nicholas Day
It is customary to give honey or gingerbread to Nikolai / istockphoto.com
It is worth noting that expensive gifts for St. Nicholas Day are a modern trend. It has long been customary to give sweets to children on this holiday. Previously, there was not such an abundance of sweets as now. Therefore, honey gingerbread for Nikolay (he was also called "Nikolaychik") became the best delicacy for the child.
Even if your child asked for something more ambitious on Nicholas, you should not deviate from the tradition. Moreover, the gingerbread ideally "lies" under the pillow and fits into the "boot". By the way, today “nikolaychiks” are on sale for every taste: they can be painted with food dyes, decorate a Christmas tree with them, or assemble a gingerbread house from them. Complement the delicious gift with a healthy drink - on the eve of the holiday, cook a "winter" compote of apples and cinnamon.
In addition to goodies, books, coloring books, construction sets, as well as kits for creativity and experiments will be a good gift for Nikolai. In general, anything that develops imagination and creativity in the child is welcome. But expensive gifts like a mobile phone, smart watch or tablet should be discarded. Expensive purchases do not go well with the concept of the holiday: after all, we are talking about how the saint helped the poor, and he himself tried to live modestly. Therefore, the main value of a gift on this holiday should not be the price, but emotions and impressions.
What is customary to cook on St. Nicholas Day
On St. Nicholas Day, it is not the feast that is important, but the family atmosphere / istockphoto.com
St. Nicholas Day is considered a family holiday: on this day, relatives and friends gather at a common table and spend time together. At the same time, the date falls on the Nativity Fast, so you shouldn't cook meat dishes. Fasting on the eve of the Nativity of Christ is considered strict in the church. During this period, you should completely abandon meat, dairy products and eggs. Therefore, only lenten dishes should be on the table: in this way you will honor the traditions of the church and emphasize your respect for Saint Nicholas, who tried to live modestly and without excesses. It is also worth giving up alcohol on this holiday: replace it with soft drinks. Compote, uzvar or fruit drink are good.
There are no traditional dishes for Nikolay. So you can pamper your family with any lean salads, baked potatoes, cabbage rolls with mushrooms, custard dumplings. Since St. Nicholas Day falls on Sunday this year, the church allows fish to be added to the menu. However, remember that the main thing is not the feast, but the kind, cozy and sincere atmosphere of the holiday.
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