St. Nikolaus Day - Sixth day of December - Holding Baby
Happy sixth day of December - And Happy St. Nikolaus Day!!!
There are so many ways that you as parents will discover how to hold your baby - the older they get the more adventurouse perhaps as well!
Teaching the Parent Workshop and the Baby/Postnatal Classes however showed me how very daunting the very thought of holding a new-born baby can be!
I remeber clearly after giving birth to my first baby that I was quite fearful. He was so tinie - 5lb 8oz! He barley fitted across the length between my wrist and elbow!
There a some wonderful ways that you can safely hold your new born baby and we will introduce and talk about these during class as we go about different movements helping you to grow and learn together with your baby and feeling more confident.
Now to another tradition! As you may already have guessed from my opening line - today is St Nikolaus day! Again a more european custom as the patron St. of the sea and protector of children was born in Patara, Asia Minor which back then was part of Greece.
You can read more about St Nikolaus who also was the Bishop of Myra here.
What happens on St Nikolaus! And yes, I am using the german writing here...
On the eve of the 5th of December children take out their boots and polish them as best as they can, ready for St Nikolaus to fill them.
Traditionally, it would be nuts and oranges and some coins. We still stick to this tradition today but replaced coins with chocolate ones - and added more chocolate... as you do this time of year. The children also get little gifts - perhaps similar to stalkings which are filled on Christmas day.
St Nikolaus is celebrated in a few countries which include: Netherlands, Belgium, France and Germany - though in the Netherlands it is celebrated on the 5th December!
I love this childhood memory and tradition!
Do you celebrate St Nikolaus? Do you have a different day of December that you celebrate perhaps? What is one tradition from your childhood that you still do each year now?
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