Today is St. Nicholas Day

Seven-year-old IC is adamant, insisting that there the real St. Nicholas is already dead.

Well, I can't argue because it is true as she knows that the story of Santa Claus begins with Nicholas, who was born during the third century in the village of Patara. As Bishop Nicholas, he became known throughout the land for his generosity to the those in need, his love for children, and his concern for sailors and ships. December 6 became his feast day and the day for gift-giving in Germany to preserve the memory that it was the Christ Child who are to be celebrated during Christmas day.

Now the question is, who brings the gifts during St. Nicholas Day? Her ready answer, of course, Mama and Papa! Well, I told her, that might be true. But who leaves those extra chocolates and gifts outside our front door during the early morning of St. Nicholas Day?

Well, she had no ready answer for that. And I am not ready to tell her that those are from generous neighbors playing St. Nicholas. Indeed, early this morning, (good thing Rikki, our pup, wasn't the first one out of the front door); both girls stumbled into gifts from St. Nicholas on the front door. There's even a letter stating that those are from St. Nicholas and it's not in my handwriting so...

And then again, they saw St. Nicholas chocolate baskets beside the garage door! They know it could not have been their Papa nor their Mama as we were both busy in the kitchen and they were the first ones out.

Oh, we cleared things up, too. I informed them that the St. Nicholas gifts that adults receive are mostly bought by kids because St. Nicholas only have time to prepare gifts for the kids. Thus, they shopped to buy us gifts; wrapped them in secret. And sneaked those presents in our home office which really surprised us :-D

Mama and Papa's St. Nicholas gifts arranged by the girls

After school, where they received more gifts coming from St. Nicholas; the girls enthusiastically finished showed off their gifts, made their homework as fast as they can. They know that we are going out, despite being a school day. We drove off to shop a bit, then we visited the Mannheimer Weinachtsmarkt (Mannheim Christmas Market).

Mannheim's Christmas Market

Back home, they noticed that St. Nicholas chocos are scattered around. They collected those sweet figurines, before finding out that their presents are sorrounded by more of them. All gifts from St. Nicholas, of course. After all, we were all not home, right???

Happy St. Nicholas Day everyone!