#samichlaus

Grittibänz

St. Nicholas Day 

St. Nicholas Day celebrates St. Nicholas, a popular minor Christian saint in Western and Eastern churches. In the fourth century, he was a bishop in Myra, a Greek town in the ancient district of Lycia, in Asia Minor, near present-day Demre, Turkey. The story of much of his life is not based on historical evidence, but on traditional stories and legends. It is believed that he was born in Patara, a seaport in Lycia, and that he traveled to Palestine and Egypt before coming to Myra. He was imprisoned for his beliefs by Roman Emperor Diocletian but was freed by Constantine the Great. He is believed to have been at the first council of Nicaea, and there are many legends that say he performed miracles for the poor. He was known for giving gifts and putting coins in people's shoes, and this influenced the way he is celebrated, as well as how other traditions during the Christmas season are celebrated.

St. Nicholas was buried in his church in Myra, and over the next few centuries, pilgrims began coming to his shrine. In 1087, his remains were stolen and taken to Bari, Italy. This increased his popularity in Europe, and Bari became a popular pilgrimage site. Most of his remains are still at the Basilica of San Nicola in Bari. His popularity continued to rise during the Middle Ages, but disappeared in most places except the Netherlands during the Reformation. His popularity has come back in Europe, and he has since become the patron saint of many places and people.

St. Nicholas Day is popular in Europe, particularly with children, because of the belief that St. Nicholas brings them gifts. Before the day, many European children place shoes or special St. Nicholas boots in front of fireplaces or outside of their front door at night. On the morning of the day, they receive small presents, such as candy, cookies, fruit, and small toys. Besides shoes or boots, presents are also placed in stockings, socks, or bags. In some countries, gifts are given on the eve of the day. In some European cities, especially those where he is the patron saint, the day is also marked with parades, feasts, and festivals. Some churches also have special services dedicated to the day.

Some in America also celebrate St. Nicholas Day. In the seventeenth century, the Dutch brought the tradition to New Amsterdam, which is now New York City. St. Nicholas had been called Sinterklaas in the Netherlands, and when he was brought to America he eventually became known as Santa Claus. During the nineteenth century, the Santa Claus we think of today came into his own. Similar to Sinterklaas in the Netherlands, Father Christmas of Britain is inspired by St. Nicholas. Another character, Krampus, is seen as being the evil companion of St. Nicholas.

How to Observe St. Nicholas Day

Children could celebrate by putting their shoes or boots in front of a fireplace or outside of their front door the night before the day. Stockings or socks could also be used. Parents could fill the shoes with small toys, candy, and other treats. Although the day is most celebrated by children and their parents, anyone can participate. You could even drop coins into people's shoes just as St. Nicholas did. Some cities have parades, feasts, and festivals which you could attend today. You could also plan a trip to the Basilica of San Nicola in Bari, where the remains of St. Nicholas are held.

I showed my first draft the team leaders and they thought it was good.

But one of the secretaries keeps suggesting changes (she did that with my kids days one too) and by now I’m kinda over it. She just send me an mail where she wanted me to change the word “Anmeldung” to “Anmeldetalton”. First of all you wrote it wrong, it’s “Anmeldetalon” and secondly do you really think a bunch of 5 to 14 year olds know what the f your talking about? Also don’t come at me with the “???” when you can’t even send your mail in one text color.

I told the team leader I’m closest to, how she acts and what she wants me to do and the leader just said “I’ll talk to her. We really like your draft”

The Alphabet of Christmas, by Benito Cereno and Chuck Knigge, day 19: S is for Schmutzli, all covered in soot

Schmutzli is the companion of Saint Nicholas in the German-speaking regions of Switzerland, where the saint is known as Samichlaus. The word schmutz means dirt, which is reflected by Schmutzli’s dirty appearance, covered in soot from going up and down chimneys. 

You’ve probably gotten the idea of the dark companion by now. His job is to accompany Saint Nicholas and play bad cop to his good cop, threatening naughty children with his weapon of choice, which in this case is a birch broom.

There is apparently a story book that gives Schmutzli’s origin, saying that he was a poor woodcutter rewarded for picking up the treats that fell out of a hole in Samichlaus’s sack, but this doesn’t scan for me. It doesn’t fit the existing lore, and also being a dark companion of Saint Nicholas is not generally a reward. It’s usually a penance. While Saint Nicholas definitely has some helpers like Piet and Ruprecht that don’t seem to have crimes in their background, the ones that look like Schmutzli tend to have dark pasts. Needless to say, I go with a different origin for Schmutzli.

You can see a comic Chuck and I made starring Schmutzli here. Or you can watch a short video of Schmutzli in action that recounts some of his possible origins here.

S is also for:

Santa Claus, of whom you may have heard

Speckless and Steady, reindeer

Schimmel, Slechtveervandaag, and Sasmona, horses

Schimmelreiter, a Krampus

Shealah, another of those most mysterious of beasts, a Maritimes gift-bringer 

Saint Nicholas Day

Saint Nicholas Day has been celebrated on December 6 of every year. It is the feast day of Saint Nicholas celebrated as a Christian festival. It is, of course, a day for the children who have waited for the whole year to receive gifts. Christmas wouldn’t begin without the start of this feast. Saint Nicholas is known for his reputation as a bringer of gifts, and the attendance of Mass or worship services. He is the true Santa Claus and Father Christmas. The feast falls early in the Advent season. The saint is well-known across many countries in different names like Belsnickle, Niglo, Pelznickel, and others. Saint Nicholas Day is celebrated all over the world as to symbolizes the act of gift giving for many.

“The giver of every good and perfect gift has called upon us to mimic. His giving, by grace, through faith, and this is not of ourselves.” – St. Nicholas of Myra

History of Saint Nicholas Day

The first observance of Saint Nicholas Day is unknown. It is observed in the Western Christian countries on December 5. It is the feast day of Saint Nicholas who was also called as the Nikolaos of Myra. Saint Nicholas was a historic Christian saint born at Patara, Lycia in Asia Minor. He lived during the 4th century and was also a Greek Bishop of Myra, in Asia Minor. The history states that he had sold all his possessions for the sake of helping the poor people with money. He was grown to be a devout Christian, and he had dedicated his whole life serving the sick and suffering. During his lifetime he had developed a tradition of gift-giving by putting the coins in the shoes of other people. Even this form of culture accounts for many of the Christmas traditions till today. People have begun to leave the gifts in shoes or boots.

Saint Nicholas was raised by wealthy parents who died due to epidemic while he was young. On obeying the words of Jesus, “sell what you own and give the money to the poor,” Nicholas made his whole wealth to assist the needy, the sick, and the suffering. He had dedicated his life serving God and was made as the Bishop of Myra while he was still a young man. He was greatly known throughout the land for his kindness and generosity. He had involved himself in helping for those in need, his love for children, and he cared for sailors and ships. He had died on December 6, AD 343 in Myra. The death anniversary of St. Nicholas was made as a day of celebration, St. Nicholas Day.

There are so many legendary stories that revolve about St. Nicholas from around the world. All of them had later became a part of the inspiration for the modern day Santa Claus. It is widely believed that St. Nicholas visits each child to present them with gifts. So the kids would leave the carrots or hay in their shoes overnight which will be eaten by St. Nicholas donkey. St. Nicholas will take the hay and carrots for his donkey, and returns them with small gifts and treats for the children in the morning. The Day traditions include leaving the gifts in shoes or the exchange of small gifts. Traditionally, the celebration Day treats are left for those good boys and girls, and a twig or chunk of coal left for the naughty ones.

One another famous story goes that there was a poor man who had three daughters. He wasn’t able to get them married as he hadn’t had enough money for a dowry. On finding this, Nicholas had secretly dropped a bag of gold down the chimney one night. It had fallen into a stocking that had been left by the fire to dry. It made the eldest daughter to get married. Now the father decided to find out who had given him the money. Eventually, he caught Nicholas who again dropped in another bag of gold. Although Nicholas didn’t want to draw attention to himself, word got out, which made anyone who got a secret gift later to suspect that it was from him.

How to Celebrate Saint Nicholas Day

The best way to celebrate Saint Nicholas Day is by giving a surprise gift for the person you love. Take this celebration Day as an opportunity to know more in detail about Saint Nicholas. You can provide gifts and presents to people around you and make their Day a little more special. Educate your children about the importance of helping people who are in need. As there were so many magical and lesson teaching stories exists about Saint Nicholas, you can even tell them as their bedtime stories with the events of St. Nicholas. Arrange for a party and gather your friends and family, give them surprise gifts by camouflaging as Santa.

St. Nicholas Day

St. Nicholas Day celebrates St. Nicholas, a popular minor Christian saint in Western and Eastern churches. In the fourth century, he was a  bishop in Myra, a Greek town in the ancient district of Lycia, in Asia Minor, near present-day Demre,  Turkey. The story of much of his life is not based on historical  evidence, but on traditional stories and legends. It is believed that he  was born in Patara,  a seaport in Lycia, and that he traveled to Palestine and Egypt before  coming to Myra. He was imprisoned for his beliefs by Roman Emperor  Diocletian but was freed by Constantine the Great. He is believed to  have been at the first council of Nicaea,  and there are many legends that say he performed miracles for the poor.  He was known for giving gifts and putting coins in people's shoes, and  this influenced the way he is celebrated, as well as how other  traditions during the Christmas season are celebrated.

St. Nicholas was buried in his church in Myra, and over the next few  centuries, pilgrims began coming to his shrine. In 1087, his remains  were stolen and taken to Bari, Italy. This increased his popularity in  Europe, and Bari became a popular pilgrimage site. Most of his remains  are still at the Basilica of San Nicola in Bari. His popularity  continued to rise during the Middle Ages, but disappeared in most places  except the Netherlands during the Reformation. His popularity has come back in Europe, and he has since become the patron saint of many places and people.

St. Nicholas Day is popular in Europe, particularly with children,  because of the belief that St. Nicholas brings them gifts. Before the  day, many European children place shoes or special St. Nicholas boots in  front of fireplaces or outside of their front door at night. On the  morning of the day, they receive small presents, such as candy, cookies,  fruit, and small toys. Besides shoes or boots, presents are also placed  in stockings, socks, or bags. In some countries, gifts are given on the  eve of the day. In some European cities, especially those where he is  the patron saint, the day is also marked with parades, feasts, and  festivals. Some churches also have special services dedicated to the  day.

Some in America also celebrate St. Nicholas Day. In the seventeenth  century, the Dutch brought the tradition to New Amsterdam, which is now  New York City. St. Nicholas had been called Sinterklaas in the  Netherlands, and when he was brought to America he eventually became  known as Santa Claus. During the nineteenth century, the Santa Claus we  think of today came into his own. Similar to Sinterklaas in the  Netherlands, Father Christmas of Britain is inspired by St. Nicholas.  Another character, Krampus, is seen as being the evil companion of St. Nicholas.

How to Observe St. Nicholas Day

Children  could celebrate by putting their shoes or boots in front of a fireplace  or outside of their front door the night before the day. Stockings or  socks could also be used. Parents could fill the shoes with small toys,  candy, and other treats. Although the day is most celebrated by children  and their parents, anyone can participate. You could even drop coins  into people's shoes just as St. Nicholas did. Some cities have parades,  feasts, and festivals which you could attend today. You could also plan a  trip to the Basilica of San Nicola in Bari, where the remains of St. Nicholas are held.

Nein, der Dezember ist (noch) nicht mein Lieblingsmonat. Daran muss ich noch arbeiten. Denn ich sehe durchaus, dass der erste Wintermonat viele schöne Seiten hat. Die Samichlaustradition gehört da sicher dazu. Ob nun mit Bischofsstab und Mitra oder rotem Mantel und Rauschebart, er ist ein Farbtupfer unter den grauen Dezemberwolken. Ich liebe Grittibänzen, werde heute noch backen. Ich sitze gerne…