It's only natural to celebrate Saint Nicholas Day on December 6th, as part of our learning process.
I am part German.
The kiddos are having a blast. Of course anything that involves candy is bound to be a success.
We hope you enjoy these Saint Nicholas Day celebration ideas!
For the month of December we are studying the Christmas traditions of Europe.
This has included learning the history and origins of Santa Claus.
It's our hope that by studying the figure in detail, Princess will overcome some of her fears and trauma issues related to the holiday.
Our Simple Saint Nicholas Day Celebration
We tried to keep the holiday as low key as possible, to eliminate any extra anxieties. The kiddos left their shoes, I mean boots out for Saint Nicholas.
Note: If you tell your child to leave their shoes out, they may decide to compare shoes to determine which will hold the most candy. In our case, this meant boots. Lol.
This morning we woke up and the kiddos found their boots full of candy. Originally I had wanted to include chocolate gold coins in the boots.
Sadly I was unable to find them at the store last minute. Instead the kiddos found their favorite chocolates and other sweets.
For breakfast we made German pancakes served with applesauce, powdered sugar, and maple syrup, just the way I love them. I was so impressed that Dinomite, Bulldozer, and Princess all tried them without complaint.
After breakfast, the day was spent sorting and preparing items to be donated to Salvation Army, in the spirit of giving that St. Nicholas taught. All items were loaded in the car and delivered as well.
It was simple, but absolutely perfect for the ages and abilities of our children.
Over the years we've created a magical St. Nicholas Day for our family. For more details about or specific holiday traditions, enjoy the resource below.
St. Nicholas Day: How We Celebrate
If you're interested in celebrating Saint Nicholas Day in your home, be sure to check out all of the links below, explaining specifics about the holiday and celebration ideas.
St. Nicholas Day Celebration Ideas
What is St. Nicholas Day from German Girl in America
This post gives a brief history of St. Nicholas and how this woman celebrated St. Nicholas Day. I love the mention of shoe polishing in preparation for the holiday. What a great practical life activity!
St. Nicholas Coin Toss from St. Nicholas Center
Many children love games. This post shares several game ideas for kids that help them understand the story of St. Nicholas. I love how the games really capture some of the most famous things he is known for.
Ideas and Freebies for St. Nicholas Day from Kinder Craze
I love how this post introduces a learning activity focused on a sight word AND a craft that kids are sure to enjoy. This teacher goes above and beyond making sure all her students can enjoy St. Nicholas Day traditions and celebrations.
St. Nicholas Day Activities from Welcome to Mommyhood
This post includes some fabulous Montessori-inspired activities for tots and preschoolers in preparation for St. Nicholas Day. I love that this post focuses on St. Nicholas Day celebrations that take place in the Netherlands.
St. Nicholas Cookies from Catholic Cuisine
If you're looking for treat ideas for St. Nicholas Day, this post is sure to be a hit! I love the creativity behind these adorable St. Nicholas themed treats and that the kids can help make them.
St. Nicholas Day from Nest Full of Eggs
When I picture St. Nicholas Day in my head, I think of this post. It's such a simple, yet beautiful holiday that children and adults can enjoy.
St. Nicholas Candy Bar Wrappers from St. Nicholas Center
Montessori-inspired St. Nicholas Day Printable Pack
If you're looking for even more resources to use in the classroom to teach and celebrate St. Nicholas Day, we have a fabulous printable pack designed for Montessori preschool and early elementary classrooms.
It includes so many fantastic activities with true-to-life images that really bring the special holiday to life.
Just look at all of the fun that can be had with these printables!
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St. Nicholas Day Activities for Kids with Free Printables
The activities and printables in this post include so much fun information about St. Nicholas Day while encourage math and language skills.
Also included is a wonderful geography and culture activity that discusses how different countries celebrate St. Nicholas Day.
St. Nicholas Day Activities for Tots and Preschoolers with Free Printables
If you're looking for activities and printables for younger children, we have you covered with these fabulous St. Nicholas Day Activities for Tots and Preschoolers!
There is something for every child, no matter their skills and abilities.
All children, including little ones can learn and enjoy St. Nicholas Day!
Saint Nicholas Day Books
We love reading books associated with holidays from around the world. St. Nicholas Day is no exception. These are some of our absolute favorites!
We hope you have a fabulous St. Nicholas celebration and that your children learn and understand the story of how Santa Claus came to be.
The celebration of St. Nicholas Day continues in our family as our children grow as they enjoy it so much!
For those looking for more holiday activities and printables, be sure to subscribe to our free newsletter by clicking the link below.
If you liked this post, you may also enjoy the resources below!
Ooh! How interesting! I have a german brother in law, but I think he/his family only celebrates Christmas. Here in the Netherlands, everyone goes all out for St Nicholas Day. It's a lot of fun, but really rather commercial unfortunately. Christmas usually people don't do gifts though and just have a family dinner or a small celebration after going to church. It's so interesting to learn about how other families and cultures celebrate the holidays :)
ReplyDeleteAlso, thank you so much for including our St Nicholas Day activities :)