As I dragged my feet into the kitchen this morning, Angie says to me "Have you seen your shoes this morning?". Suddenly, I'm recalling all the times this week she's told me to "clean my shoes" for the upcoming German holiday ("It's not a holiday!" -Angie). When I went out into the hall, this is what I found:
Happy Nikolaustag!
December 6th is Nikolaustag, a day in which St. Nikolaus brings gifts for the children of Germany. If you're bad, you get wood and coal, but if you're good (and apparently Nikolaus/Rafi thought I was), you get candy and treats in your shoes (and walnuts?).
A little internet research has taught me that while in Germany, Santa comes in many different forms, it is believed that St. Nikolaus was the first "version" of Santa Clause. He is also known here as "der Weihnachtsmann" (Father Christmas, or the Christmas Man), or by the Protestants (Luther didn't believe in idealizing saints) "der Heilige Christ", later called "das Christkindl", which eventually made it's way to America as "Kris Kringle". Get all that?
A little internet research has taught me that while in Germany, Santa comes in many different forms, it is believed that St. Nikolaus was the first "version" of Santa Clause. He is also known here as "der Weihnachtsmann" (Father Christmas, or the Christmas Man), or by the Protestants (Luther didn't believe in idealizing saints) "der Heilige Christ", later called "das Christkindl", which eventually made it's way to America as "Kris Kringle". Get all that?
It's like getting a stocking 18 days early!!
Prost!
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