Global Holiday Hop: Holland and the Feast of St. Nicholas

In this series of articles I've entitled Global Holiday Hop, I will describe holiday traditions from around the world in a lesson planner format for families, teachers, parents, home-schoolers, scout leaders, catechism and Sunday School teachers. You will find historical information, crafts, games, lessons, recipes, music and more. We begin in the land of my ancestors, the Netherlands or Holland, because in Catholic Holland, traditionally, St. Nicholas's Feast Day is celebrated on December 6, making it one of the earliest of the holiday celebrations.

Nicholas lived in fourth century Asia Minor, in Patara which was a Greek region at the time called Byzantium and is now part of present day Turkey. At a very young age, he was noted for his acts of great charity and also some miraculous powers of healing and reviving life. When three children were found drowned in a rain barrel, Nicholas was called upon and restored the child to life through prayers and intercessions. The Roman emperor Diocletian who was known as one of the most ruthless of the emperors and in particular to the early Christians, had Nicholas tortured and imprisoned. Upon being freed, Nicholas became bishop of the early Byzantine church of Myra. The Bishop garments and mitre (hat) are crimson with white and gold trim, this begets the idea of St. Nick dressed in red.

Because of the commerce and shipping around the Mediterranean, Nicholas had a special concern for sailors and in their patron (special) saint. Nicholas is the patron saint of the orthodox churches in Greece and Russia. Parts of Italy, Belgium, France and many other places are under his care. HIs name varies according to the language. Click the preceding link for a list of variations. Nicholas has become the patron saint of pawnbrokers as well, and they will traditionally display three gold balls representing coins on the shop.