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Some of you will be mortified by what I am about to tell you. Okay, here goes. I never told my children that Santa Claus is real.
And you know what? They turned out just fine. In fact, they turned out better than fine.
What I told my children was the true story of St. Nicholas. We hear little about St. Nicholas these days, but I’ll bet some of your residents can share fond memories from when they were children.
For those of you who aren’t familiar with St. Nicholas, here’s a brief history.
The man we came to know as St. Nicholas was born in the third century in what is now the country of Turkey. He became a monk, and later a bishop, and was known as a very kind man who helped people who were poor or sick.
St. Nicholas was also known to secretly provide gifts for people in need. We celebrate St. Nicholas Day on December 6 in memory of the day he is believed to have died. Years later, the church recognized him as a saint.
Over time, an array of folklore developed around the life of St. Nicholas. One of these stories eventually became the character we now know as Santa Claus.
Although we don’t hear a lot about St. Nicholas Day here in the United States, many countries continue to celebrate centuries-old traditions related to St. Nicholas. Often, these traditions revolve around the spirit of giving. Today I’ll share activities you can do with your residents to celebrate St. Nicholas Day.
Leave gifts in shoes
In some parts of the world, children leave their shoes outside their doors on the eve of St. Nicholas Day. The next morning, they find gifts such as candy, fruit, or coins in their shoes.
If your residents’ shoes are anything like mine are after a long day at work, it probably wouldn’t be a great idea to put treats in them. As an alternative, you could make little goody bags and hang them on the door handles of your residents’ rooms.
Better yet, help your residents experience the joy of giving. They can pass out thank you treats to the nursing home staff as they arrive for work on December 6. As an example, check out these 41 candy bar ideas.
Make treats for animals
In some countries, shoes left outside the doors are filled with carrots as a treat for St. Nicholas’s horse. In the spirit of caring for animals, this would be a good time to help your residents make treats for dogs and cats.
Check with a local animal shelter and see if they accept homemade pet treats. Another option is to help your residents make treats for the nursing home staff to bring home to their dogs or cats.
Share a meal
The Netherlands is one country with a rich tradition of celebrating St. Nicholas Day. Families and friends gather and share a meal on the eve of this special day.
Your residents will also enjoy preparing and sharing a meal. Check out these 20 recipes for unique foods to make for this special occasion.
Bishop’s wine is the traditional beverage for St. Nicholas Day. Here’s a recipe for a no-alcohol alternative:
- 2 quarts tea
- 2 quarts cranberry juice
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 quart ginger ale
Mix the first 4 ingredients. Add ginger ale right before serving. Makes 40 4 oz servings.
Give to those in need
Legend has it that St. Nicholas started out very wealthy because of an inheritance from his parents who died when he was young. Instead of spending the money on himself, he gave it to those in need.
With that in mind, you can offer your residents the opportunity to serve as bell ringers for the Salvation Army on December 6. Check out this post from last year for all the details.
Create a Christmas ornament
Provide supplies for your residents to create simple Christmas ornaments. Then offer them as gifts to visitors who come to the nursing home on December 6. This article from Good Housekeeping has 55 excellent ornament ideas.
What other suggestions do you have for celebrating St. Nicholas Day? Please share in the comment section!
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