The Story of St. Nicholas

Nicholas is Born! This story is about a really real person who lived a very long time ago. When he was born, his Mom and Dad named him NICHOLAS You probably know someone named Nicholas too!

Nicholas Growing Up When Nicholas was a little boy he would give away his toys and share his food with other children. This made him happy, because he knew that God wanted him to help other people. He loved God very much.

Nicholas Becomes a Bishop Nicholas loved God so much that when he was all grown up he became a BISHOP of the church. A BISHOP is a leader (sort of like the Principal) of the church. Here is a picture of the BISHOP of our church:

When +Nicholas became a bishop he was given a special walking stick. All bishops are given a walking stick. It is usually in the same shape as the kind that shepherds use.

+Nicholas Helps People +Nicholas helped so many people in so many ways all of his life that it’s hard to pick just a few stories to tell you. Here’s one of my favourites. One time, when +Nicholas was travelling on a boat on the ocean, a really BIG storm began raging. The waves got really big as the winds got stronger and stronger, and all the sailors were afraid.

+Nicholas was not afraid. He prayed, and asked God to make the storm go away so that they would all be safe. The storm went away, and everyone was safe.

Another time +Nicholas heard of a family with three daughters who couldn’t get married because the family was too poor. Secretly, in the night, he came and put a bag of gold in their shoes (or their stockings—we don’t remember which). Now they could get married! They were so happy!

+Nicholas Died +Nicholas died on December 6, in the year 343. Everybody, even people who had never met him, were very sad that +Nicholas had died, but they still loved him very much. Whenever they had problems they would still ask him to help, even though they knew he was dead. Do you know what happened?

+Nicholas helped them!!! In fact, +Nicholas continued to help so many people after his death that he became known as SAINT NICHOLAS. A long time after his death a very famous poem was written about him. It is called “A Visit From St. Nicholas”. How many of you have heard it? It begins like this…

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, In hopes that ST. NICHOLAS soon would be there.

Shoes & Stockings Today is December 6. Last night, all over the world, people who know the story of St. Nicholas put their shoes outside their doors. This morning those shoes had a gift in them! Put your hand up if you did this last night. On Christmas Eve lots and lots of people hang up their Christmas stockings, and wake up on Christmas morning to find them filled with presents. Put your hand up if you do this at Christmas.

St. Nicholas loved and helped people. Shoes and stockings, gifts and presents—these are the ways we continue to celebrate his loving kindness. Of course, we don’t have to wait until St. Nicholas Day or Christmas to be kind and helpful, or even to give little gifts to each other…

A Gift For YOU! Whenever you see a candy cane, remember that it is a reminder of the goodness and kindness of St. Nicholas. Today I have a candy canes to give to each of you. Everybody will get three candy canes: one BIG one and two little ones. You may keep one candy cane for yourself—that’s my St. Nicholas Day present for you. What do you think you could do with the other two???

Walking Stick = ??? Do you remember that +Nicholas was given a special walking stick when he became a bishop? We see lots of reminders of St. Nicholas’ walking stick every Christmas season, only they’re not called his walking stick any more. Do you know what we call them now?

CANDY CANES!