written for “The Coming” – Advent devotions from LifewithChrist bloggers:
“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me…” Matthew 25:35-36a
December 5th or 6th is recognized in some circles as St. Nicholas’ Day and we celebrate this day in our family. The figure we now call Santa Claus has his roots in this day, but he has moved far away from the original St. Nicholas.
Who was Nicholas and how does he fit into the holiday season?
Nicholas was a real man, a good Christian man who loved Jesus and did many good things. He became a priest and was made bishop as well. His parents were wealthy and died when he was young, leaving him with lots of money. But he used the money to do things for the poor. He was known for having bakers bake bread for the poor, and having them make the bread special with spices and dried fruits in the loaves. He is also said to have had blankets and clothing distributed to people in the streets and to children. He hired woodworkers to make wooden toys for the children. And he tried to do all of these things in secret because he was a humble man.
Nicholas had a friend who owned a fleet of ships. This friend also had 3 daughters, all approaching marriageable age. The friend lost his entire fleet in a storm, and with it all his money. The girls would have no dowry with which to get married and would likely have been sold into slavery or prostitution just to keep them alive. It was customary for the girls to wash their stockings at night and hang them by the window to dry. Nicholas, knowing the family’s plight, wanted to help. But he knew his friend wouldn’t accept his charity, and Nicholas didn’t want a big fuss made over his generosity. So he sneaked up to their house one night and tossed 3 bags of gold into the window of the girls’ room. The gold fell into and among the stockings, and when the girls woke they found the gold in their stockings. They were thrilled and each then had enough money to get married. In spite of wanting to remain anonymous in these acts, Nicholas was discovered and his story was shared far and wide.
Nicholas is usually portrayed in a red robe, probably because of his rank of bishop in the Catholic church. Bishops were (are?) often known to wear red robes with a pointed pontiff’s cap.
(You can see from this snippet where many of our modern traditions surrounding Christmas and Santa Claus come from… for more details you can visit What Do You Do With Santa?)
Why does our family celebrate St. Nicholas Day?
# To tell the story of a Christian saint, whose model life inspires compassion and charity
# To reveal the true identity of Santa Claus and Father Christmas
# To focus on giving more than on receiving
# To emphasize small treats and family fun
# To provide a bit of special festivity early in the waiting weeks of Advent
# To offer a spiritual dimension to gift giving
# To help keep Jesus the center of Christmas
This year we have added a new dimension to our St. Nicholas’ Day festivities and we’re really focusing on helping others rather than getting more for ourselves. We have chosen to participate in the Angel Tree project, and each of us has a tag in our stocking that represents a child in need. According to their website, “The Angel Tree Christmas Project gives [people] an opportunity to share Christ’s love by helping to meet the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of the families of [people in prison]”. So, instead of exchanging gifts ourselves, our family will shop together for things that those children need or have made a special request for. (Angel Tree is just one of the many opportunities out there. Others include The Christmas Bureau, local food banks, Salvation Army, and Union Gospel Mission, just to mention a few.)
St. Nicholas’ life was characterized by two main scripture passages:
It is more blessed to give than to receive. Acts 20:35
For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me. Matthew 25:35-36
The principles in these passages sometimes (usually) get lost in the hustle and bustle of the season. When you see a Santa Claus while you’re out and about this year, may it be a reminder to you of where he came from (no, not the North Pole!) and what St. Nicholas did to share the love of Christ with a world in need. Nicholas cared for others out of his overflowing love of Christ.
Just like Abraham, Moses, Mary, John the Baptist, and Paul, St. Nicholas – when rightly pictured – points us to Christ. Nicholas reminds us of how one person who gave his life to Christ made a difference. Choose for yourself or with your family to make a difference by giving where you see a need and focusing on helping others this Christmas season.
May you bless others by sharing the love of Christ in practical ways that meet a need, and may you also be richly blessed as you make a positive difference in peoples’ lives.
