Saint Nicholas of Myra was born in modern-day Turkey to wealthy parents who died when he was young. He dedicated his life to God and used his fortune to care for the less-fortunate. He became Bishop of Myra at a young age.

During the Roman persecution of Christians, Bishop Nicholas was thrown into prison with other clergy. It is believed that, after his release from prison, he attended the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea in 325. This council addressed important Church teachings such as the relationship between Jesus Christ to God the Father, the date of celebration for Easter, early canon law, and the development of the Nicene Creed.

Legends of Saint Nicholas

Many legends about St. Nicholas have been handed down from generation to generation. While many of the legends are stories of fiction, they serve to illustrate his remarkable character.


The story of the three maidens and the dowries gave rise to the tradition of stuffing stockings at Christmas. The father of the three maidens did not have money for their dowries, so no one would marry them, leaving them in danger of being sold into slavery. In secret, St. Nicholas threw three bags of gold through the window; each landing in its own stocking that was hanging to dry by the fireplace. Each maiden, now having a dowry, married. Upon being found out by the father, St. Nicholas said, “You must thank God alone for providing these gifts in answer to your prayers for deliverance” (St. Nicholas Center, “Three Impoverished Maidens or the Story of the Dowries“).

Celebrating the Feast Day of Saint Nicholas

Saint Nicholas’ feast day is widely celebrated throughout Europe on December 6, the anniversary of his passing in AD 343 in Myra. In the weeks leading up to December 6, “Sinterklaas” travels the country to see how the children are behaving, much like Santa Claus checking his list to see who is naughty or nice!

“In the Netherlands and Belgium, St. Nicholas rides a white horse on his gift-giving rounds. Dutch children leave carrots and hay in their shoes for the saint’s horse, hoping St. Nicholas will exchange them for small gifts. Simple gift-giving in early Advent helps preserve a Christmas Day focus on the Christ Child,” the St. Nicholas Center explains in “Who is St. Nicholas?“

The Dutch celebrate St. Nicholas on the eve of his feast day: December 5. “Children sing traditional Sinterklaas songs while waiting for the saint to appear. A knock comes on the door and a black, gloved hand appears to toss candies and pepernoten inside. Children scramble to gather up the treats. A large burlap bag, ‘de zak van Sinterklaas,’ also appears filled with gifts,” the St. Nicholas Center describes in their article, “Netherlands.”

Each person’s place setting at the table may contain a chocolate letter, their initial. Other food items include banket, a Dutch almond-filled pastry; speculaas, Dutch windmill cookies; and beverages such as hot chocolate and Bishop’s wine. In her About.com article, “Bishop’s Wine (Bischopswijn),” Dutch Food expert, Karin Engelbrecht, describes Bishop’s wine as “a medley of red wine, oranges, lemon, and spices.” She recommends spiking two oranges and one lemon with about 15 cloves and adding to a pot containing one and one-half bottle of red wine and four cinnamon sticks, and heating slowly for three hours without boiling. Towards the end of the heating period, add one-half cup of sugar and dissolve completely. Remove the fruit spices and serve.

Learn more about St. Nicholas by visiting St. Nicholas: Discovering the Truth about Santa Claus.

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