Each year as my girls get a bit older, I continue to look for ways to carry on my childhood family traditions. Coming from a family of ten, my mother was truly inspiring in all the thoughtful, beautiful ways she found to bring tradition and celebration into our home.
Celebrating St. Nicholas (also known as Sinterklaas) was one of our family traditions growing up. We looked forward to it almost as much as Christmas. I so clearly remember the sleepy, smiley faces and the high pitched, delight~filled voices as the stockings were opened... I remember doing plays and puppet shows of the St. Nicholas story with the siblings... I remember the St. Nicholas shaped speculaas cookies...
Fond memories.
My husband is dutch, so this tradition (celebrated a little differently) runs deep in his family too.
This year we thoroughly enjoyed passing on these traditions to our girls ~ I think they enjoyed it too!
Fond memories.
My husband is dutch, so this tradition (celebrated a little differently) runs deep in his family too.
This year we thoroughly enjoyed passing on these traditions to our girls ~ I think they enjoyed it too!
Their stockings ~ (finally completed this year!)
That sleepy smiley face of delight
A morning play silk dance ~ enjoying her stocking stuffer
Decorating their St. Nicholas shaped cookies
Such handsome fellows
Their puppet version of the St. Nicholas story ~ with wonderful felt puppets made by my mother (from when I was a girl).
We read the story together last night before bed and then took time today to take a deeper look at the example St. Nicholas set in giving generously, anonymously and with love. A wonderful opportunity to teach about the richness in self-less giving and helping the less fortunate ~ in this season and always.
Heres to celebrating family traditions and true gifting from the heart
~ Shanti ~
