"Mommy, Is Saint Nicholas Real?"

My heart sank last night as JWP asked me this question. He's only 7, soon to be eight in two weeks...way to young to question the existence of Saint Nicholas. Yet, his mind is unlike that of many seven year olds. He is methodical and intentional in everything he does. Inquisitive would be putting it mildly. He wants to study engines when he grows up, lines up toys and books, never playing with many of them but rather displaying them just to look at. He is The Hubby's identical twin in looks and personality. I should have prepared myself for this moment. "Yes, he is real. I believe in him and know for a fact that he exists," I said. Today as I ran to the market for a few odds and ends, I heard the story of Saint Nicholas being read on air. I found it to be a wonderful and whimsical tale. It is one that I plan to read to the kiddos and truly captures the spirit of Christmas and Saint Nicholas. I hope you will enjoy it too.

~The Story of Saint Nicholas~
He was a boy when he lost his parents very early in life. It was an epidemic that took them, but not before he was old enough for them to help him discover the gift of faith. Little Nicholas went to Myra and lived a life full of self-offering, and giving of himself. His life was full of sacrifice and love, just like Jesus. Nicholas lived such a Christ like life that when the town needed a bishop he was immediately elected. Later he was imprisoned for his Christian faith, but released by the Emperor Constantine. Thereafter, many stories of his generosity were collected and they spread from mouth to mouth all through out the lands. It was told how he begged food for the poor and how he would somehow get money for girls to use as a dowry so that they could have husbands. The story most often repeated was about how he would put on a disguise and go out and give gifts to the poor children. In fact Nicholas gave away everything he had, plus everything he could get. He died in AD 314; his body was moved to Italy where his remains are believed to be to this day. The story of Nicholas has spread all around the world, and today there are more European churches named after St. Nicholas than any other person in the history of the church, aside from the famous Bible characters. People have done many things to old St. Nick. Clement Moore the poet gave him a red nose and eight tiny reindeer. Artist Thomas Nast gave Nicholas a round belly and a red fir trimmed suit. But those things really aren’t that important are they? What is important is that he lived in the mind set and the life style of Christ. And because he lived that lifestyle, the life of Nicholas touched the whole world and it does to this very day. But here is the really important part of the story. That same Christ like mind set and that life style is supposed to be in all of us and lived by all of us. And that is the true story of St. Nick.

-- Author Unknown