Growing up, my friend Dan Vuletich celebrated Saint Nicholas Day. I didn't really understand what it meant growing up, but it captured my imagination. Never really having believed in the American Santa Claus growing up, the feast day of Saint Nicholas has always seemed to make more sense to me.
Saint Nicholas lived centuries ago, gave gifts to the poor, and did good works in service to God. Remembering this way of living hopefully gives children to reason to aspire to do the same.
Children celebrate the holiday by putting their shoes out the night of December 5 and awake on December 6 to find a gift in it. Some German-American communities in the midwest put a chocolate gold coin in the shoe. The coin recalls the gifts of Saint Nicholas to the poor.
When I visited my nephew Henry in Alabama back in 2007, the glitzy highly commercialized Santa Claus confronted him everywhere as we wandered through the local grocery store. It was impossible to get away from the cardboard cutouts and the packing that displayed his image.
I recognize that my boys will also be awash in a culture that states we can save our country by shopping for Christmas gifts. However, I also recognize that an alternative narrative might help them find more meaning in their lives even if it creates a little confusion and anxiety at first.
My wife Jill and I sang Christmas carols with the boys, told them a story about giving gifts to the poor, and gave each of them a one ounce silver coin. Since they are only infants, they won't remember this moment--their first Christmas gift, their first Saint Nicholas Day--but we've set the tone for a more meaningful holiday season. When they're older, we'll take them out for a day of service to others.
As a part of the tradition, we had a wonderful home cooked dinner and homemade egg nog. Jill claimed that this homemade egg nog is the best she's ever tasted. I hope that when my boys are old enough, we can continue this tradition of Saint Nicholas Day, singing songs, and making homemade egg nog because some of the sweetest and best moments are those made at home.
