Welcome to the last challenge of the year with the design team on CCEE Stampers blog.
Hostess Lynn would like for all those who are taking part in this challenge to select a country or culture other than their own and feature on the front of their cards a unique element or tradition from that country or culture's holiday celebrations!
I grew up with this tradition, we had these cute little boots that we put out each year, we didn't have a fireplace so the boots were just left outside our bedroom door. As a child it was just something that we did, I didn't realize that it was something my parents grew up with also until I googled the meaning of St Nicholas day. I thought I would share with you some of the meanings that I found.
What is St. Nicholas Day?
St. Nicholas derived from Nicholas of Myra and was a bishop in 4th century Greece. He was known for selling off his own items and then giving the money to the poor. He would commonly leave coins in people’s shoes and dedicated his entire life to serving people who were sick and suffering. This is how he gained his saint status, and is what inspired St. Nicholas Day (also commonly known as Feast Day or the Feast of St. Nicholas).
St. Nicholas Day is celebrated on December 6th every year. This date was chosen to commemorate the day of St. Nicholas’s death and to celebrate his life and generous spirit.
Typically celebrated by leaving small surprise gifts in shoes or stockings, the day is meant to honor the generous spirit of Saint Nicholas, the historical inspiration for our contemporary version of Santa Claus!
Because Nicholas of Myra was a saint in the Catholic church, St. Nicholas Day is primarily a Christian holiday. It is especially popular among European Catholic and German Lutheran populations.