December 6 - St Nicholas Day

Order this 76-page book with
color illustrations, about $10.

In much of Europe, St. Nicholas Day on December 6 has as much importance as Christmas does in the United States. It is the main gift-giving day for children in Holland.

Kersti and St. Nicholas by Hilda van Stockum shows how important St. Nicholas is to the Dutch. It is also a story of mercy and forgiveness and puts a human face on St. Nicholas, the patron saint of Holland, Russia, New York City, sailors and children (one of the very few saints venerated equally in the West and the East).

The book is a perfect gift for a child or grandchild who looks forward to December because of the holidays. This magically illustrated book is set in Zeeland, the Netherlands. The premise is that Kersti has been misbehaving, to the dismay of her six older sisters and parents, and she worries that St. Nicholas won't give her a gift.

On the night before the saint's feast day on December 6, the highlight of the year for the family, Kersti goes out and confronts St. Nick and persuades him to give a present to a naughty child: "Why don't you give her the doll? Maybe it will make her so happy she'll be good all the rest of the year." St. Nicholas relents, Pieterbaas expressing shock. Order the book for about $10 from Amazon, plus shipping if applicable.