The Real St. Nicolaas

1. The Real St. Nicolaas • 271 to 343 AD • Archbishop of Myra • Canonized by the Roman Catholic Church in the 4th Century • Patron Saint of Sailors, Merchants, and Children • Later removed from the calendar of Saint days

2. The start of St. Nicolaas celebrations in The Netherlands • 12th and 13th century, 23 St. Nicolaas churches build in The Netherlands. • 14th century choir boys in St. Nicolaas churches receive money and the day off on December 6th. The day of St. Nicolaas death. Oldest record a 1360 receipt from Dordrecht. • Later rewards and punishments were handed out by a teacher dressed as St. Nicolaas at convent schools on December 5th. Sint tells Jenneke and Rafael what is in his big red book

3. The legend mixes with other rituals • St. Nicolaas acquires a white horse. This is probably related to the Norse god Wodan, who rode a horse through the sky scattering gifts. • Although the real St. Nicolaas lived in Asia Minor, in Dutch folklore the Saint lives in Spain. • St. Nicolaas acquires a Moorish servant Piet. Based on Wodan’s black raven or a real servant (freed slave) named Pitre The first book from 1850

4. The celebration for kids • St. Nicolaas arrives mid November. • Shoes by the fire place. • St. Nicolaas visit the school on December 5. • Presents at home on St. Nicolaas Eve (December 5)

5. Steamboat Arrival

6. Sint’s Arrival on TV

7. The Parade

8. Shoes by the fire place

9. The celebration for big kids • Cleverly wrapped presents called “surprises” • Bad habits • Recent incidents • Anything embarrassing • The poem • Department store poets • Books of words that rhyme • Internet sites

10. Family Surprises Tamara likes to keep her secrets save from her family Vincent shows his father’s “surprise”

11. Short, long, and difficult poems

12. Nasty wrappings

13. Interesting wrappings

14. Hidden Presents

15. Hats as Wrappings

16. Mousy Wrappings A large mouse and a small mouse with a big cheese

17. Imagination and creativity are endless

19. Thank You St. Nicolaas