Holiday date
The feast day of St. Nicholas is celebrated on December 19.
history of the holiday
Saint Nicholas, otherwise known as Nikolaus, was a Byzantine bishop. He accepted Jesus Christ and began to do good deeds. He was originally from the city of Patara in the country of Lycia. He was called Saints for his boundless love for children and his willingness to come to the aid of his neighbor. Thanks to rich and prosperous parents, Nicholas after their death received a great inheritance. But he did not live to his pleasure, but rather helped the poor and needy.
Saint Nicholas was not only an extremely kind and sensitive person, but also smart. He did not want the needy person to be humiliated by his help, so he made gifts unnoticed. He put various gifts to such people under the doors and windows of houses, so that no one would guess what gifts he was making.
A little later, St. Nicholas is given another nickname - Nicholas the Pleasant or Nicholas the Wonderworker. It was he who, making a pilgrimage on the ship, with the help of prayer was able to calm the raging storm at sea. Thus saved the fishermen who sailed with him.
Saint Nicholas died in old age, and his relics are still stored in the city of Bari in Italy. The image of Santa Claus, as well as the American Santa Claus was written off precisely from Nicholas the Wonderworker.
Learn how to celebrate New Year 2024, Nativity,as well as Easter following the link.
Holiday traditions
Beer
The traditional step on the feast of St. Nicholas for many people is the brewing of beer or a hop-hop.
Gingerbread cookies
On such a day, special cookies or gingerbread cookies called nicholas should be baked for children. This gingerbread is always sweet and symbolizes the arrival of the holiday, which is why children are always so happy.
Gifts
It is on the night of December 18-19 that St. Nicholas brings gifts to the children. Gifts for children are usually chosen by anyone, but in particular it is sweets. Such gifts are traditionally placed under the pillow, where in the morning the child finds him.
Letters
This tradition is common among children. Before the holiday, the children write a letter to St. Nicholas with a story about what good things he accomplished this year. And after that he asks for gifts and sweets for this.
Congratulations on St. Nicholas Day
Honey Nicholas Recipe
Structure:
- 2 teaspoons of cocoa.
- 100 grams of butter.
- 3 pieces of chicken eggs.
- 1 teaspoon of vinegar slaked with vinegar.
- 3 tablespoons of flour.
Cooking process:
- Mix all the ingredients together and knead the cool dough. After it, you need to put it in the refrigerator for one hour. Then, if you have cookie cutters, you can fill them with dough, if not, then cut out St. Nicholas figures or stars from paper.
- After rolling out the dough so that it turns out to be a thin sheet and cut out figures from it on a leaf or a mold. When the figures are ready, bake them in the oven for 10 minutes at 220 degrees.
- After the gingerbread cookies have cooled, you can pour them with melted chocolate or sprinkle with powdered sugar.
