Preparation for St. Nicholas' Feast Day: A Fun and Meaningful Celebration for Catholic Kids

The feast of St. Nicholas is only one month away, are you prepared to celebrate this important feast day in the season of Advent?

As Advent draws close, one of the most exciting days for Catholic families, especially for children, is the Feast of St. Nicholas, celebrated on December 6th. St. Nicholas, the beloved 4th-century bishop known for his generosity, compassion, and love for children, is the perfect patron saint to inspire us to begin the holiday season with acts of kindness and joy. Today we are going to explore how to get ready for St. Nicholas Day in a way that engages children, teaches them about the saint's virtues, and brings the whole family together in a fun and meaningful way.

1. Learn About St. Nicholas

Before the celebration, take some time to teach your children about the life of St. Nicholas. You can tell them about his kindness to the poor, how he secretly gave gifts to those in need, and how he became the inspiration for what we know as the modern-day Santa Claus. Reading a children's book about St. Nicholas is a great way to introduce his story.

You can also visit a local church or library to explore artwork and statues of St. Nicholas or find videos that tell his story. As you read, emphasize his love for children, his generosity, and how he lived out his faith through acts of service. Show them how the story of St. Nicholas should inspire us to do and be the same.

2. Prepare Your Home with a St. Nicholas Day Tradition

Many Catholic families have their own St. Nicholas Day traditions. One of the most popular customs is to leave shoes or stockings out the night before, on December 5th, for St. Nicholas to fill with small gifts, candy, or treats. You can explain to your children that St. Nicholas would often secretly give gifts to people, and on this day, he continues to inspire us to give to others.

Here are some fun ideas for ways to celebrate this tradition:

- Leave Shoes or Stockings: Before bed on the evening of December 5th, have your children leave their shoes or stockings out in a special place. In the morning, they’ll wake up to find small surprises—maybe a chocolate coin, an orange (a traditional symbol of St. Nicholas’s gifts), or a small toy.

- Create a St. Nicholas Card: Encourage your children to make a card for St. Nicholas, thanking him for his example of kindness and generosity. You can have them place the card by their shoes along with a prayer or a small offering of change to give to charity.

- Make St. Nicholas Cookies: Baking cookies with your kids is a fun way to celebrate. You can make simple sugar cookies and decorate them in the shape of St. Nicholas’s mitre (hat), crosier (staff), or even his red robe. Offer these cookies to neighbors or deliver them to someone who may be in need.

3. Encourage Acts of Kindness

St. Nicholas was known for his charitable acts, so the Feast Day is the perfect time to encourage your children to think of others and be generous. You can incorporate service projects into the celebration, making it a day to practice kindness. Here are a few ideas:

- Charity Donation: St. Nicholas was known for secretly giving gifts to the poor. As a family, you could gather unused toys, clothes, or other items and donate them to a local shelter or charity. This is a great way to teach your kids the value of giving to others who are less fortunate (bonus: it's also a great way to get rid of some clutter before you accumulate more gifts/toys on Christmas day)

- Random Acts of Kindness: Challenge your kids to perform random acts of kindness on St. Nicholas Day. They could write kind notes to a friend or sibling, help with chores without being asked, or offer a smile to a neighbor.

4. Pray to St. Nicholas

Incorporating prayer into your celebration is a wonderful way to honor St. Nicholas’s example of faith and devotion. Here’s a simple prayer that you can say together as a family:

St. Nicholas, Holy Bishop,

You gave gifts to those in need,

and showed the love of Christ to all.

Help us to follow your example

by being generous and kind,

and may we always seek to do good

in the name of our Lord.

Amen.

Another lovely tradition is to have each child say a prayer asking for St. Nicholas’s intercession for their own intentions—whether it’s for good health, happy family life, or even for wisdom and courage. It’s a beautiful way to teach them about faith and the importance of prayer.

5. Make a St. Nicholas Day Feast

St. Nicholas Day doesn’t have to be just about gifts—it's also a great opportunity to enjoy a special family meal. You can prepare a feast with foods that honor the saint’s legacy. Here are a few ideas:

- St. Nicholas Pretzels: Make pretzels in the shape of the crosier (bishop’s staff) or in other fun shapes.

- Sweets and Treats: In some countries, it’s traditional to make or eat gingerbread cookies, chocolates, or nuts to honor St. Nicholas. You can also make “St. Nicholas Bread,” a sweet, braided bread, or enjoy hot cocoa together.

- Feast of St. Nicholas: Serve a meal with foods from places associated with St. Nicholas, like fish (a nod to his role as a bishop), or foods popular in his home country of Turkey.

6. St. Nicholas Crafts and Activities

For hands-on fun, try some St. Nicholas Day crafts with your kids. This is a great way to help them remember the day’s special meaning:

- Create St. Nicholas Ornaments: Use simple craft supplies like felt, markers, and glue to create ornaments in the shape of St. Nicholas’s mitre, staff, or robe. Hang them on the Christmas tree as a reminder of the saint's generosity.

- Coloring Pages: Print out St. Nicholas coloring pages and let your kids color in pictures of St. Nicholas. While they color, you can talk about his life and his love for helping children.

- Make a St. Nicholas Chain of Kindness: For each act of kindness your children perform, have them write it down on a paper link and create a chain to hang up. It’s a visual reminder of the good deeds they’ve done in honor of St. Nicholas.

St. Nicholas Day is a perfect way to kick off the Advent season, teaching children the values of generosity, kindness, and faith. Whether you’re leaving shoes out for small gifts, engaging in service projects, or simply praying together as a family, celebrating this feast day offers a meaningful opportunity to deepen your children’s understanding of the saints and the joy of giving. By preparing for St. Nicholas Day with these fun and simple traditions, you’ll help foster a spirit of love and gratitude that lasts throughout the Advent season and beyond.