School's out this time of year and it is summer break. Nov. 30 marked the last day of second grade for Skyler and preschool for Blake.Typically it is a fun time of year to be out of school with all the Christmas activities plus warm, swimming weather HOWEVER we started it with much infirmity. All 4 of my kids (including the 6’2” one) are on antibiotics….and I probably should be….such a bummer.
Between coughs, naps and nose blows we are trying to keep our spirits up. Today helped as in staying with my Czechoslovakian heritage we opened our Christmas stockings. Every year since I can remember, we've hung our stockings on Dec 5 and Mikulash, “Santa” in Czech, came that night. My parents are in their latter season of life and they still fill each others stockings on the 5th….cute eh?!I did some research on it once to understand the reason of the tradition and found that actually it is quite a European tradition and many countries observe (Santa, Sinter Claus-Holland, Father Christmas-England) on Dec. 5th. My logical thought would be perhaps he, being Santa, needs the extra time to make it all the way around the world so he starts early in the Europe. After all doesn’t everything start in Europe? hee!
Anyway, I thought it a fun holiday tradition so the Franzenfam is sticking with it. It also spreads out some of the Christmas wealth.
When in the states celebrating with Rich’s family, the non-Czech Grandma, fills the kid's stockings on Christmas Eve like most families. Not to mention Mrs. Czech Claus (my mom) sends the grandkids treats and gifts for Mikulash so on those years my kids get 2 (really 3 with all my mom’s additions) stockings. Out of control, I know!
My kid’s response to the whole stocking tradition….. “We’d like to go with the 2 stocking deal every year”. Yea, what kid wouldn’t?!
Anything fun or special about your stocking tradition?
18 comments:
Cool!
We're actually celebrating St. Nicholas Day today (Dec. 6) in our house. I just put a small toy in Alex's Christmas stocking and have been reading to him about the real St. Nicholas (Bishop of Myra). We'll be doing some crafts latr too. Maybe I'll post.
Yes, the stocking will be filled again Christmas Eve.
Wasn't familiar with this Mikulash. Interesting to learn and I think it's wonderful you are keeping up the tradition.
Susan
I really love this! I love great family traditions like yours. My heritage is so convoluted (Irish, Cherokee, German, French... not to mention Mick's side! Welsh, Scottish, and of course, Aussie) that maybe I could add this tradition to my family and no one would be able to object. I probably have some Slavic blood in there somewhere! :-)
i would guess that it had to start in honor of st. nicholas day. the 6th being the feast of st. nicholas. kids used to put their shoes by their door in hopes of goodies being placed there. later it was transfered to socks, sanitary issues maybe?
great tradition...and happy summer.
So aren't traditions so fun?! The kids sure look pleased with their "haul". Sorry you guys are all sick - we've been praying for you!
In the tradition kids always got onions, potatoes and coal if they were bad (everyone got at least some); but today we just go with the good stuff (and who can find coal?) But your Dad did put a sweet potato in mine - funny huh?
Keep up the traditions and start some of your own.
Mom
What a cool tradition! We don't do anything fancy. I found some cute toys in the dollar section at Target last night and then we put a little candy in them and then I did get them the movie Ratatouille from Santa and that's it.
Do you suppose you could make a list of items that may be found in a stocking at your home and send it to me? I'm usually running a total blank when it comes to stocking stuffing. It gets extremely expensive very quickly with six kids.
I meant for you to send the list--but you can send the stocking if you want!
Coal!! I think I'll fill the stockings with COAL!!
Karen you are cracking me up...I love that you left 3 comments in response to this post.
I bet it gets exp. with 6...I keep things simple cuz it can with 3 too. Fortunately both Grandmas contributed.
I put coal in Rich's..hee!
not having children in our home, we have not made or continued many traditions in our home for Christmas. Just celebrating Jesus' birth and giving to the needy.
However I LOVE your tradition!! Some day we may do that here in our home. If we exchanged gifts before Christmas, then we could focus on Jesus on December 25th!!!
thanks for sharing!!
I pray your family returns to good health very quickly!
I will post that scone recipe very soon. Stay tuned! :) If you don't have access to all the ingredients in SA, let me know. :)
here it is :)
http://itsrclark.blogspot.com/2007/12/pumpkin-scones-with-berry-butter.html
What a fun tradition. It spreads Christmas out a little, which is great.
Get well! Praying for the Franzens.
What a great tradition. I love the idea of spreading out the wealth—Christmas with a birthday on the 17th (Cole) can be overwhelming. (Probably more for me than him.) : )
I love to hear about dif. Christmas traditions. I hadn't heard this one. Very neat!
It's funny that you are clear on the other side of the world and yet we are both going thru the sickies. We have had nothing but fevers, runny noses and coughing since before Thanksgiving. Hope you all start feeling better soon.
I'm glad you're keeping up with the tradition. Our son is 37 and he sneaks in to fill our shoes now! They just had their first child and they've already started the tradition. I remember as a child "Mikulash" used to come all dressed up to my grandmother's house and deliver the most wonderful molasses cookie and it had a paper picture of Mikulash on the front. It was such a thrill when he arrived. Darn, I miss that Czech bakery! Merry Christmas and to your folks too.
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