Each Easter our children receive a heirloom quality book about Easter to build their personal libraries. My husband and I scour bookstores to find the perfect book. I must admit, we are a bit picky. We are looking for a book with a good story line that will become classic, and art museum quality artwork. Over the next week or so I will share some of our finds; all which have become "must-reads" in our home during Lent and Easter.
If you are looking for a good book to include in your child's Easter basket this year, be sure to check back daily for more ideas.
I will start this series by discussing the book Rechenka's Eggs.
Rechenka’s Eggs
Written by Patricia Polacco, this book tells the story of Babushka, an old lady who lives in the Russian countryside. Babushka is renowned for her beautifully decorated eggs, or pysanky, which win first prize every year in an Easter contest in Moscow. One day she takes in an injured goose, who mistakenly breaks all her decorated eggs. To make up for her error, the goose begins laying a gorgeous decorated egg each day until Babushka has enough to take to the contest. The simple drawings in this book are enchanting with their bright colors and folk art feeling. This book is a subtle lesson in kindness and gratitude, which makes it a perfect Easter gift.
You can read more reviews about this book by clicking on this link:
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Simple fun and frivality on St. Patrick's Day
March 17 around our home is a chance to learn more about St. Patrick. We watch a children's DVD and read a story or two about the saint. Sometimes the kids color a coloring sheet with the saint's outline on it, or we play a homemade bingo or trivia game with tidbits about Ireland. I understand it isn't really Irish, but we also enjoy corned beef and cabbage. For dessert, we might pop into McDonald's and enjoy a shamrock shake. (I know, that's a bit commercial but it has become a simple tradition!)
This year is a bit different. The kids woke up to some commotion in our home. My son discovered that his leprechaun trap had been sprung, and that my jade ring (used as bait) was gone, replaced by a note saying "ha, ha, ya'll never get my pot of gold!"
There are green paper shamrocks scattered around our home -- on the bathroom mirror, on the refrigerator handle, on the door knobs' of the kids' rooms, on the light switch, and on the TV screen. When my son opened the peanut butter jar this morning, he discovered the peanut butter was now green. And their milk mysteriously turned green when it was poured from the jug into their drinking glasses.
There is also green paper confetti scattered over the kitchen table.
The kids (especially my youngest daughter) got a big kick out of this.
Serving unique food can be a fun and inexpensive gift for family and friends on this holiday. In fact, you can create unique items often just with things already in your cupboard. For example, I have a can of Wilton's green Food Mist spray in my pantry. It is simply food coloring in a spray can. Green sprinkles (leftover from Christmas baking) can add a festive touch, too. For example, we will be having green jello for dessert tonight -- made special with a dollop of whipped cream that has been embellished with the green sprinkles. A small bottle of green food coloring can turn almost any white food into something special. My son hates mashed potatoes; I wonder if he would like them better if they were green?
This clever mom even put tiny leprechaun footprints on her children's peanut butter sandwich. She has some other clever food ideas for the holiday, too, so check it out:
http://www.gourmetmomonthego.com/
(I love her leprechuan template -- cut it out and use it to embellish cupcakes!)
I found some other links to snacks, desserts, salads and other "Leprechaun" themed food for St. Patrick's Day.
Here is a quick shamrock-shaped snack:
http://www.canadianfamily.ca/articles/article/yummy-leprechaun-snacks/
How about some Leprechaun latte? (Yes, you can make this yourself!)
Or a Leprechaun Gold Salad?
http://www.dotcomwomen.com/food/stpatricks/leprechaun-gold-salad.shtml
How about some Paddy's Day Pudding?
http://www.mccormick.com/Recipes/Desserts/Paddys-Pudding.aspx
Some would say that we are detracting from the real reason for the holiday. But we will return to some of our traditional activities this afternoon, and learn more about St. Patrick then. In the meantime, someone obviously thought we needed a bit more mischievous fun in our lives!
I would love to hear how others celebrate this holiday! Please post some comments with your family's traditions!
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
It's Pancake Tuesday!
Today is one of my children’s favorite days of the year. No, we don’t celebrate Christmas in February!
At our house, today is Pancake Tuesday!
Pancake Tuesday is our family’s version of Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras. We celebrate it once a year, on the day before Ash Wednesday. Traditionally, the day before Ash Wednesday was a time to use up all rich ingredients like eggs, butter, milk and cream. Pancake recipes call for all these items, so they became a standard meal item on Fat Tuesday.
Finally, before bedtime, we will read a pancake themed book. If You Give a Pig a Pancake by Laura Numeroff is my daughter’s favorite book, but you could also read Tomie dePaola’s Pancakes for Breakfast, Eric Carle’s Pancakes, Pancakes or Mairi Mackinnon’s The Runaway Pancake.
You can find all of these books on Amazon.com. Here are some links to them:
To get you in a "pancake mood," check out some of the silly “pancake” themed videos on YouTube. Here is one of my favorites:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UG5gO4nlLRQ&feature=channel
Have a happy Pancake Tuesday!
At our house, today is Pancake Tuesday!
Pancake Tuesday is our family’s version of Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras. We celebrate it once a year, on the day before Ash Wednesday. Traditionally, the day before Ash Wednesday was a time to use up all rich ingredients like eggs, butter, milk and cream. Pancake recipes call for all these items, so they became a standard meal item on Fat Tuesday.
Although my family eats pancakes on other days of the year, this day becomes special because we take our flapjacks to a whole new level. On this one day of the year, I allow my children to embellish their pancakes with any topping(s) that their heart desires. The table is set with not only with the usual butter and maple syrup, but also fruit syrups (apricot and boysenberry this year), peanut butter, Nutella (a hazelnut/chocolate spread), chocolate chips, fresh cut-up fruit (strawberries, blueberries, cherries, bananas), and of course, whipped cream.
During supper, we have a contest to see who can create the most appealing, tastiest pancake creation. The winner is crowned “the world’s best pancake chef” and gets to wear a silly pancake hat. (It’s a French beret decorated with a photo of a pancake.) Their name is also listed on a framed certificate (made on my computer), which notes each year’s pancake contest winner.
We decorate our table in the Mardi Gras colors of green, gold and purple. We use paper plates, cups and napkins to keep clean-up easy, too.
Some of the other things we might do include:
1.Sing Pancake Songs
Check out this website for some lyrics: http://www.mamalisa.com/blog/category/holiday-songs/pancake-day-songs/
2. Color pancake themed coloring sheets
(http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/Tossing_pancakes.pdf)
3. Do a pancake word find
(http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/Pancake_Day_word_find.pdf)
4. Play a pancake themed game like Flip the Pancake
(http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/pancake_day.htm)
Finally, before bedtime, we will read a pancake themed book. If You Give a Pig a Pancake by Laura Numeroff is my daughter’s favorite book, but you could also read Tomie dePaola’s Pancakes for Breakfast, Eric Carle’s Pancakes, Pancakes or Mairi Mackinnon’s The Runaway Pancake.
You can find all of these books on Amazon.com. Here are some links to them:
To get you in a "pancake mood," check out some of the silly “pancake” themed videos on YouTube. Here is one of my favorites:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UG5gO4nlLRQ&feature=channel
Have a happy Pancake Tuesday!
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Happy St. Lucia's Day!
Today (December 13) is St. Lucia's Day! This feast was originally established to remember a Christian Martyr named Lucy who was persecuted and killed during the reign of Diocletian. This feast day is especially celebrated in Scandinavian countries with some nice traditions and in Syracuse (Sicily) where she was born.
There is alot of information on the internet and in books about St. Lucia and her feast day. I can't begin to cover it all in this article, so I thought I would highlight a few items and give you some ideas on how to celebrate this "feast of light" with your family.
Sicily
In Sicily, torchlight processions and bonfires mark her day. The special food for the day is cuccia. Cuccia is made of wheat grains that are soaked, cooked and then eaten like oatmeal. It can be eaten any time of the day. Here are some recipes for cuccia:
http://www.inmamaskitchen.com/RECIPES/RECIPES/Desserts/Cuccia.htm
(This one mentions it as a dessert.)
http://www.cimorelli.com/pie/mangia/cuccia.htm
(This one is called a soup -- has fava beans in it)
Northeastern Italy (especially Lombardy and Verona)
On the eve of December 13 St. Lucia travels on a flying donkey to deliver gifts to good boys and girls. The children leave carrots and hay to attract the hungry donkey so it stops at their home.
Scandinavia
This is one of the favored holidays in Scandinavia. One of the daughters in the family brings coffee and lussekatter, or saffron rolls, to her parents in the early hours of the morning. She is wearing a white gown, a candle-wreath crown on her head and singing a special song for St. Lucia.
Throughout the day, there are also public processions in many Swedish cities, where one girl is selected to be St. Lucia. She goes to malls, nursing homes, churches and other places singing songs and handing out lussekatter or ginger snaps. She is sometimes accompanied by the Star Boy, a young boy also dressed in white, wearing a white cone-shaped hat with stars on it, and carrying a star-shaped wand.
Some ways to celebrate this holiday:
In our home, my husband is always up earlier than everyone, so there is no opportunity to surprise him with breakfast in bed. Instead, my daughter will surprise him after supper with a dessert of lussekatter. (We will turn off all the lights and she will process into the dining room carrying the lussekatter and wearing a simple white dress and her candle-wreath crown.) (Her crown is made of battery operated candles.)
During the day, we will also be doing some Scandinavian type crafts, learning to sing the St. Lucia song, and reading some books and articles about St. Lucia.
There are many articles about her on the internet. Here are just a few links:
http://www.catholicculture.org/culture//liturgicalyear/activities/view.cfm?id=108
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Lucy%27s_Day
http://scandinavian-history.suite101.com/article.cfm/history_of_saint_lucia
Some craft ideas for this day:
Make a St. Lucia wreath:
http://www.atozkidsstuff.com/sweden.html
Another wreath craft:
http://www.bry-backmanor.org/holidayfun/lucia.html
Make the Star Boy's cone-shaped hat:
http://www.crayola.com/lesson-plans/detail/st.-lucia-day-star-hat-lesson-plan/
Make small St. Lucia dolls out of clothespins:
http://rosylittlethings.typepad.com/posie_gets_cozy/2006/12/santa_lucia_dol.html
St. Lucia Coloring Sheets:
http://www.domestic-church.com/CONTENT.DCC/19991201.GRAPHICS/lucy.pdf
Woven Swedish Heart Ornament
http://www.amazingmoms.com/htm/valentine-paper-heart-craft.htm
(Instead of the pinks and reds listed in this article, make it with red and green construction paper. Fill it with holiday candies and hide it in the tree for the children to find!)
Make a Dala Horse Puppet
http://www.nordicmuseum.org/local/uploaded/swedishdalahorse.pdf
Make a special centerpiece for your table, using an evergreen wreath and white candles. Or use one of the wreaths in the craft projects listed above.
Some recipes:
St. Lucia's Breaded Bread (from Family Fun magazine)
http://jas.familyfun.go.com/recipefinder/display?id=40574
A more traditional recipe. Note the interesting shapes in which to shape the rolls:
http://www.uwm.edu/~dgs/santa_lucia.htm
Gingerbread cookie (Luciapepparkak) recipe
http://www.twilightbridge.com/hobbies/festivals/christmas/lucia/recipe.htm
Glogg (Swedish Mulled Wine)
http://goscandinavia.about.com/od/restaurantsdining/r/gloggrecipe.htm
Some favorite books:
How to Make a Swedish Christmas
http://www.hemslojd.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?page=HEM/PROD/8162
Lucia Morning in Sweden
http://www.hemslojd.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?page=HEM/PROD/8120
Here is a link to the song traditionally sung on St. Lucia's Day. It includes lyrics in English and Swedish, sheet music for the song, and a midi recording:
http://www.mamalisa.com/blog/?&p=604
More resources and blog articles on celebrating St. Lucia's Day:
http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/activities/view.cfm?id=1208
http://sweetmummy.lifewithchrist.org/page/christmas-time-at-our-house-part-5.html
Happy celebrating this feast of light!
Creatively yours,
Cheryl
There is alot of information on the internet and in books about St. Lucia and her feast day. I can't begin to cover it all in this article, so I thought I would highlight a few items and give you some ideas on how to celebrate this "feast of light" with your family.
Sicily
In Sicily, torchlight processions and bonfires mark her day. The special food for the day is cuccia. Cuccia is made of wheat grains that are soaked, cooked and then eaten like oatmeal. It can be eaten any time of the day. Here are some recipes for cuccia:
http://www.inmamaskitchen.com/RECIPES/RECIPES/Desserts/Cuccia.htm
(This one mentions it as a dessert.)
http://www.cimorelli.com/pie/mangia/cuccia.htm
(This one is called a soup -- has fava beans in it)
Northeastern Italy (especially Lombardy and Verona)
On the eve of December 13 St. Lucia travels on a flying donkey to deliver gifts to good boys and girls. The children leave carrots and hay to attract the hungry donkey so it stops at their home.
Scandinavia
This is one of the favored holidays in Scandinavia. One of the daughters in the family brings coffee and lussekatter, or saffron rolls, to her parents in the early hours of the morning. She is wearing a white gown, a candle-wreath crown on her head and singing a special song for St. Lucia.
Throughout the day, there are also public processions in many Swedish cities, where one girl is selected to be St. Lucia. She goes to malls, nursing homes, churches and other places singing songs and handing out lussekatter or ginger snaps. She is sometimes accompanied by the Star Boy, a young boy also dressed in white, wearing a white cone-shaped hat with stars on it, and carrying a star-shaped wand.
Some ways to celebrate this holiday:
In our home, my husband is always up earlier than everyone, so there is no opportunity to surprise him with breakfast in bed. Instead, my daughter will surprise him after supper with a dessert of lussekatter. (We will turn off all the lights and she will process into the dining room carrying the lussekatter and wearing a simple white dress and her candle-wreath crown.) (Her crown is made of battery operated candles.)
During the day, we will also be doing some Scandinavian type crafts, learning to sing the St. Lucia song, and reading some books and articles about St. Lucia.
There are many articles about her on the internet. Here are just a few links:
http://www.catholicculture.org/culture//liturgicalyear/activities/view.cfm?id=108
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Lucy%27s_Day
http://scandinavian-history.suite101.com/article.cfm/history_of_saint_lucia
Some craft ideas for this day:
Make a St. Lucia wreath:
http://www.atozkidsstuff.com/sweden.html
Another wreath craft:
http://www.bry-backmanor.org/holidayfun/lucia.html
Make the Star Boy's cone-shaped hat:
http://www.crayola.com/lesson-plans/detail/st.-lucia-day-star-hat-lesson-plan/
Make small St. Lucia dolls out of clothespins:
http://rosylittlethings.typepad.com/posie_gets_cozy/2006/12/santa_lucia_dol.html
St. Lucia Coloring Sheets:
http://www.domestic-church.com/CONTENT.DCC/19991201.GRAPHICS/lucy.pdf
Woven Swedish Heart Ornament
http://www.amazingmoms.com/htm/valentine-paper-heart-craft.htm
(Instead of the pinks and reds listed in this article, make it with red and green construction paper. Fill it with holiday candies and hide it in the tree for the children to find!)
Make a Dala Horse Puppet
http://www.nordicmuseum.org/local/uploaded/swedishdalahorse.pdf
Make a special centerpiece for your table, using an evergreen wreath and white candles. Or use one of the wreaths in the craft projects listed above.
Some recipes:
St. Lucia's Breaded Bread (from Family Fun magazine)
http://jas.familyfun.go.com/recipefinder/display?id=40574
A more traditional recipe. Note the interesting shapes in which to shape the rolls:
http://www.uwm.edu/~dgs/santa_lucia.htm
Gingerbread cookie (Luciapepparkak) recipe
http://www.twilightbridge.com/hobbies/festivals/christmas/lucia/recipe.htm
Glogg (Swedish Mulled Wine)
http://goscandinavia.about.com/od/restaurantsdining/r/gloggrecipe.htm
Some favorite books:
How to Make a Swedish Christmas
http://www.hemslojd.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?page=HEM/PROD/8162
Lucia Morning in Sweden
http://www.hemslojd.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?page=HEM/PROD/8120
Here is a link to the song traditionally sung on St. Lucia's Day. It includes lyrics in English and Swedish, sheet music for the song, and a midi recording:
http://www.mamalisa.com/blog/?&p=604
More resources and blog articles on celebrating St. Lucia's Day:
http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/activities/view.cfm?id=1208
http://sweetmummy.lifewithchrist.org/page/christmas-time-at-our-house-part-5.html
Happy celebrating this feast of light!
Creatively yours,
Cheryl
Sunday, December 7, 2008
A review: My Twinn Dolls
As promised, this blog (and the website at www.creativegiftgiver.com) will occasionally include reviews of great gift items. Today I would like to tell you about the My Twinn Dolls.
Like many families, we will be cutting back on gifts this Christmas. My husband and I decided to get one main gift for each child -- something they can keep and cherish. For our daughter, we have purchased a My Twinn Doll.
My Twinn dolls are personalized to look just like the child who receives them. Same color hair and eyes, same hair style, same complexion, etc. They will even add birthmarks, freckles and other customized features.
We just received my daughter's doll, and I was pleased with the likeness to my daughter. Granted, they can't make the doll to look exactly like her, but it does bear an uncanny resemblance to her. I think I even seem my daughter's mischievous glint in the doll's eyes!
A few specifics about the doll: It is 23" tall and has 18 points of poseability for more lifelike movement. In other words, it can be posed in many ways; it can even do the splits! The doll is made with high-quality vinyl using natural-looking skin tones, eye color and hairstyles. The vinyl can be cleaned with a warm washcloth or baby wipe. Each doll is crafted to the specifications you indicate on the order form on their website.
The My Twinn website also sells matching doll/girl outfits and pajamas, doll accessories, doll-sized furniture and more. Some of this can get a bit pricey, but I've found some deals on Ebay. I will probably get out my sewing machine and do a bit of sewing, too. (The sewing machine is begging me to use it again!)
The dolls are not inexpensive, but they are made very well and considered heirloom quality. Yet they are durable enough to be played with on a daily basis by a little girl.
I decided to go with a My Twinn doll (instead of the better known "American Girl" dolls) for several reasons. I thought it would be nice for my daughter to have a doll that looked like her. In addition, throughout the years, I plan to write some stories for my daughter, featuring her doll in various adventures. I also thought that the stories behind the American Girl dolls would be a bit too complex for a 6-year-old to understand.
If you would like more information on My Twinn dolls, check out their website by clicking on this link:
Like many families, we will be cutting back on gifts this Christmas. My husband and I decided to get one main gift for each child -- something they can keep and cherish. For our daughter, we have purchased a My Twinn Doll.
My Twinn dolls are personalized to look just like the child who receives them. Same color hair and eyes, same hair style, same complexion, etc. They will even add birthmarks, freckles and other customized features.
We just received my daughter's doll, and I was pleased with the likeness to my daughter. Granted, they can't make the doll to look exactly like her, but it does bear an uncanny resemblance to her. I think I even seem my daughter's mischievous glint in the doll's eyes!
A few specifics about the doll: It is 23" tall and has 18 points of poseability for more lifelike movement. In other words, it can be posed in many ways; it can even do the splits! The doll is made with high-quality vinyl using natural-looking skin tones, eye color and hairstyles. The vinyl can be cleaned with a warm washcloth or baby wipe. Each doll is crafted to the specifications you indicate on the order form on their website.
The My Twinn website also sells matching doll/girl outfits and pajamas, doll accessories, doll-sized furniture and more. Some of this can get a bit pricey, but I've found some deals on Ebay. I will probably get out my sewing machine and do a bit of sewing, too. (The sewing machine is begging me to use it again!)
The dolls are not inexpensive, but they are made very well and considered heirloom quality. Yet they are durable enough to be played with on a daily basis by a little girl.
I decided to go with a My Twinn doll (instead of the better known "American Girl" dolls) for several reasons. I thought it would be nice for my daughter to have a doll that looked like her. In addition, throughout the years, I plan to write some stories for my daughter, featuring her doll in various adventures. I also thought that the stories behind the American Girl dolls would be a bit too complex for a 6-year-old to understand.
If you would like more information on My Twinn dolls, check out their website by clicking on this link:
St. Nicholas Eve in Holland, Michigan
Hi everyone,
Back from Holland, Michigan! Thought you would like a brief report.
St. Nicholas (also known as Sinter Klaas), rode into town on Friday evening. He was on a white horse, accompanied by his helpers, who are named "Black Peter." He rode down the main street in Holland, accompanied by a large group of children carrying lighted paper lanterns. In front of the parade was a town crier telling everyone that Sinter Klaas was coming! He rode down the whole street (which was lined with people on both sides) and greeting children. The parade ended at the end of the street, where there is a summer outdoor market (that is now a holiday market called Kerstmarket--similar to the markets held in Germany.)
At the market, there was a little stage set up, and the children who were carrying lanterns got up on the stage and sang songs to welcome Sinter Klaas. Then the mayor of Holland welcomed Sinter Klaas. The Black Peters were walking around the group, giving lollipops to the kids. (My kids were delighted with this, as they think that Black Peter only gives out coal and switches!)
Sinter Klaas said hello to everyone and wished them a wonderful holiday season, and then kids could come up to him, talk to him and have their photos taken with him. Got a great shot of my son and daughter with Sinter Klaas!
We hoped to visit some museums and go the Sinter Klaas story time on Saturday, but awoke that morning to discover that they were predicting a snowstorm during the day, with up to 8 inches of snow! So we left in the morning. I've promised the kids we will go back in the spring for Tulip Time.
It was a nice trip, even if it was short!
Back from Holland, Michigan! Thought you would like a brief report.
St. Nicholas (also known as Sinter Klaas), rode into town on Friday evening. He was on a white horse, accompanied by his helpers, who are named "Black Peter." He rode down the main street in Holland, accompanied by a large group of children carrying lighted paper lanterns. In front of the parade was a town crier telling everyone that Sinter Klaas was coming! He rode down the whole street (which was lined with people on both sides) and greeting children. The parade ended at the end of the street, where there is a summer outdoor market (that is now a holiday market called Kerstmarket--similar to the markets held in Germany.)
At the market, there was a little stage set up, and the children who were carrying lanterns got up on the stage and sang songs to welcome Sinter Klaas. Then the mayor of Holland welcomed Sinter Klaas. The Black Peters were walking around the group, giving lollipops to the kids. (My kids were delighted with this, as they think that Black Peter only gives out coal and switches!)
Sinter Klaas said hello to everyone and wished them a wonderful holiday season, and then kids could come up to him, talk to him and have their photos taken with him. Got a great shot of my son and daughter with Sinter Klaas!
We hoped to visit some museums and go the Sinter Klaas story time on Saturday, but awoke that morning to discover that they were predicting a snowstorm during the day, with up to 8 inches of snow! So we left in the morning. I've promised the kids we will go back in the spring for Tulip Time.
It was a nice trip, even if it was short!
Friday, December 5, 2008
There's quite a bit of excitement around my house
Because tonight is St. Nicholas Eve! In our home, we celebrate St. Nicholas Eve, which is a custom that originated in Europe. (St. Nicholas is the predecessor of our modern Santa Claus.) St. Nicholas was a 3rd century bishop known for his kindness and generosity. It is said that his red miter and red robes eventually evolved into the stocking cap and long red coat worn by Santa, and his deeds were the impetus for the kindness associated with Santa.
In Europe, the children put out their shoes on St. Nicholas Eve. The next morning, they wake up to find little treats and goodies in them, and often a letter from St. Nicholas praising them for their good works throughout the year, and encouraging them to improve in their weaknesses.
St. Nicholas is especially popular in the Netherlands. He's known as Sinter Klaas there. He is accompanied by a little elf known as Zwiet Piet (Black Peter) (who hands out coal and switches to children who haven't been good.)
My two kids don't know it, but we are driving over to Holland, Michigan this afternoon (about a 3-4 hour drive). Holland has a little celebration on St. Nicholas Eve. St. Nicholas rides into town on his white horse, accompanied by Zwiet Piet, to start off the holiday celebrations. They also have story time with St. Nicholas at one of the stores in town, and other holiday events and happenings. So I've decided to surprise them with a visit to see St. Nicholas!
They are a bit worried that St. Nicholas won't find them at the hotel where we are staying, but I've assured them that this is "no problem." So they will put out their shoes tonight in the hotel.
Traditionally, St. Nicholas gives little sweets and treats to the kids (not big presents). Each item has some significance. Some treats may include:
- candy cane (represents the bishop's miter and also a "J" upside down)
- bag of gold chocolate coins (he is known for giving a bag of coins to a poor family)
- a book or DVD on St. Nicholas (the bishop, not Santa Claus)
- a St. Nicholas cookie or treat (I make them myself)
- a St. Nicholas ornament or icon
- a homemade gift or game
You can find a ton of terrific resources and information, including some "shoe stuffer" downloads, at this website:
www.stnicholascenter.org
Creatively yours,
Cheryl
In Europe, the children put out their shoes on St. Nicholas Eve. The next morning, they wake up to find little treats and goodies in them, and often a letter from St. Nicholas praising them for their good works throughout the year, and encouraging them to improve in their weaknesses.
St. Nicholas is especially popular in the Netherlands. He's known as Sinter Klaas there. He is accompanied by a little elf known as Zwiet Piet (Black Peter) (who hands out coal and switches to children who haven't been good.)
My two kids don't know it, but we are driving over to Holland, Michigan this afternoon (about a 3-4 hour drive). Holland has a little celebration on St. Nicholas Eve. St. Nicholas rides into town on his white horse, accompanied by Zwiet Piet, to start off the holiday celebrations. They also have story time with St. Nicholas at one of the stores in town, and other holiday events and happenings. So I've decided to surprise them with a visit to see St. Nicholas!
They are a bit worried that St. Nicholas won't find them at the hotel where we are staying, but I've assured them that this is "no problem." So they will put out their shoes tonight in the hotel.
Traditionally, St. Nicholas gives little sweets and treats to the kids (not big presents). Each item has some significance. Some treats may include:
- candy cane (represents the bishop's miter and also a "J" upside down)
- bag of gold chocolate coins (he is known for giving a bag of coins to a poor family)
- a book or DVD on St. Nicholas (the bishop, not Santa Claus)
- a St. Nicholas cookie or treat (I make them myself)
- a St. Nicholas ornament or icon
- a homemade gift or game
You can find a ton of terrific resources and information, including some "shoe stuffer" downloads, at this website:
www.stnicholascenter.org
Creatively yours,
Cheryl
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