7 Simple Ways to Celebrate the Feast of St. Nicholas

December 6, 2022

Feast day:

December 6

Patron saint of:

Children, sailors, unmarried girls, merchants, charitable fraternities, pawnbrokers, Russia and Greece

Set out shoes + fill with treats

The age-old tradition of leaving your shoes outside your door “in hopes” that St. Nicholas will fill them with treats by the morning stems from a true story.

St. Nicholas, the Bishop of Myra, did what he could to obey Jesus’ words to “sell what you own and give your money to the poor.”

One of the most famous stories is when he saved three sisters from slavery because they were too poor to afford dowry money for a husband. On three different occasions, St. Nicholas anonymously and mysteriously threw a bag of gold coins, either through an open window or down a chimney, into their home. The bags of gold were said to have landed in stockings or shoes left by the fire to dry.

Sometimes the story is told with gold balls instead of bags of gold, which later became represented by oranges when celebrating the feast day.

In honor of St. Nicholas’ generosity, and the belief in the promise that God loves to give good gifts to His children, we celebrate with shoes, stockings, oranges and treats.

Have your loved ones set out their shoes by the fireplace or the door the night before December 6.
Mysteriously fill their shoes with traditional treats: chocolate gold coins, candy canes, and oranges.

Alternatively, make surprise orange balls to give extra pizazz to the magic of giving.

How to make surprise orange balls

1. Fill a plastic ball with a small treat or gift or affirmation note.

2. Wrap with orange crepe streamer.

3. Tape closed + tape green paper leaves on top.

4. Place inside shoes or stockings for your loved ones!

Ideas for what to fill the surprise orange balls with OR just put in shoes/stockings:

FOR YOUNGER KIDS

an orange or clementine
small fruits like blueberries
chocolate coins / candy canes
granola bites
photos of their favorite people
interesting objects from nature
small toy
book
Christmas pajamas

FOR OLDER KIDS / ADULTS

an orange or clementine
chocolate coins / candy canes / honey sticks
affirmation notes
gift cards
donut holes / granola bites
Christmas ornament / pajamas
rosary
book
give the kids ideas, tools or supplies (sometimes even money) that can specifically be used for gift-making or gift giving.

Download our free Advent Guide for a detailed guide and video of how to make surprise orange balls and more ideas for celebrating other feast days in Advent.

Blessing of the oranges

In some churches, there is a special blessing of the oranges, after which everyone can take some blessed fruit home. You can easily do this at home!

Photo by Monika Grabkowska on Unsplash

Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash

Give to someone in need

St. Nicholas came from a wealthy family. When he was young, both of his parents died and left him a large inheritance. He decided to give away all his inherited wealth and travel around the countryside to help the poor and the sick.

Donate to an organization doing good for impoverished people.
Send an affirmation text or write an encouraging note to someone you know who needs it.
Donate your old clothes or toys.
Make a point to keep a lookout for someone in need this season and help when the opportunity presents itself.

Hang + fill your stockings

“The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.”

Make it a new family tradition to hang the Christmas stockings on December 6, the feast of St. Nicholas.

Tell the story of St. Nicholas while you do it!

Alternatively, you can fill the stockings the night before and open them on December 6!

Photo by Erica Marsland Huynh on Unsplash

Photo from The Mindful Avocado's Vegan Candy Cane Cookie Recipe

Make Christmas cookies

Bake gingerbread orange cookies, candy cane cookies or sugar cookies topped with crushed peppermint candy canes.

Cut them into fun Christmas symbols + decorate

Some ideas for cookie shapes:

Christmas tree
Star of Bethlehem
Orange
Three Kings’ crowns
Candy cane
Angel
St. Nicholas
Shepherd staff
Stocking
Sheep

Blessing of the Candy Canes

Candy canes were originally made to represent the shepherd’s staff (or crozier) of St. Nicholas, who was the Bishop of Myra in the 3rd century.

All bishops carry staffs, hooked at the top like a shepherd’s crook, showing they are the spiritual shepherds who care for their people, just as Jesus is the Good Shepherd.

Gather the candy canes in your house and say the Blessing of the Candy Canes over them.

Hang them in special places around the house or on your tree if you have one.

Photo by Deidre Schlabs on Unsplash

Looking for more inspiration on how to celebrate the Liturgical seasons?

Living The Seasons: Simple Ways To Celebrate The Beauty Of Your Faith Throughout The Year is a full-color guide to creatively celebrate our faith. Each page is filled with beautiful inspiration with effortless directions to celebrate feast days, holy days and seasons within the Church. This will be your resource for living liturgically! Now available for pre-order on our website.