The day of St. Nicholas, popular in the West, is a holiday that has long been eagerly awaited in our country. In anticipation of the Nativity of Christ and the celebration of the New Year, adults are concerned with the preparation of delicious dishes, original gifts and other troubles, and for children St. Nicholas' day is a wonderful occasion to receive encouragement in the form of sweets or small surprises.
In December, when St. Nicholas' day is celebrated (on the 6th day of the Catholics and 19 are Orthodox), even the most mischievous and mischievous children try to be especially obedient. Of course, gifts for the day of St. Nicholas will only get good and well-mannered. It is always interesting for children to see what Saint Nicholas looks like, but of course it is impossible to see it. He comes at night while the kids sleep, and puts the gifts in pre-made shoes or socks that hang over the fireplace. Sometimes gifts can be found under the pillow. It is also not known where St. Nicholas lives. According to legend, the whole year he lives under a huge Oak tree, from which you can see the whole Earth, and once a year with his retinue visits the kids. Two traits and two angels travel with him. Their Nicholas takes in order to tell anyone about the good and bad deeds committed by children. And, of course, good always wins - in the morning under the pillow all the children find gifts for the day of St. Nicholas. Most often - it's books or sweets.
A Tale from a Life
The tradition of celebrating St. Nicholas Day is based on the life of a real person. He lived in Asia and became famous for his incredible kindness. Nikolai always helped the destitute and the poor, who gave all their accumulated money. For his all-consuming love for people, he deserved boundless gratitude and worship. In some historical writings, there is information that Nicholas visited Jerusalem, went up to Golgotha to offer thanks to the Savior. Nicholas wanted to devote his life to the glorification of God in the Zion convent, but the Lord showed him another way - serving people.
The good deeds of Nicholas became the reason for his canonization by the church. Today, in many homes, believers pray to this saint. Children, receiving gifts on the day of St. Nicholas, themselves without knowing it, learn to love people, kindness and obedience. This tradition will be passed on to the children, grandson, great-grandchildren, but for now the history and traditions are alive, the family is alive, the people are alive.
Traditions and modernity
Time does not stand still. If earlier children wrote letters in which they described their desires on plain paper, then today it can be done on the Internet. There are a lot of resources that offer to fulfill the role of a postal pigeon between the child and Saint Nicholas. But you will agree, it is much more soulful and more traditional to write on paper, and how to write, you can see in the sample of the letter to Saint Nicholas, which is not a dogma, but will only help you to orient yourself.
"Dear Saint Nicholas! This year I was an obedient child, I did everything,
I will continue to do good things. It's not because I want a gift, but because it's good to be kind. If you can, give my mother a beautiful dress, dad - phone, and brother some toy. Only inexpensive, because it breaks them. Not on purpose, but because he's still small. And I want nobody to ever get sick.
Sasha Vasilyev, 3rd class. "