Today I am going to write about St. Nicholas Day and the tradition in my village on that day. Every year, children are very excited about December 6th. The night before, on December 5th, children have to clean their winter boots and then they put their winter boots near the window because they believe that, in the next morning, their boots will be filled with presents. But they also know that if they were really bad all year, for example if they didn’t listen to their parents, used bad words many times, or if their marks at school are not good, then St. Nicholas is going to fill their winter boots with potatoes and onions. Of course he knew who listened to their parents and who didn’t. Some people said that St. Nicholas was born in
Christmas is a holiday filled with tradition, family, and happiness, but what most people don’t know is that Christmas is celebrated all over the world, not just the United States. Latin American countries are especially passionate about Christmas. The way Hispanic people celebrate changes throughout each country. Each one has its own unique Christmas culture. In this essay I am going to write about some of these different countries, and tell how each one is similar and different in showing their Christmas spirit.
There is a man that comes to visit young girls and boys all over the world every Christmas Eve, some call him St. Nicholas, Father Christmas, and Santa Clause. No matter what he is called, he is a global iconic figure, dating all the way back in 280 AD (St. Nicholas). Many people celebrate this iconic figure along with Christmas, children will make out a list of goodies they want Santa to bring them on Christmas and wait for the magical sleigh pulled by reindeers to stop by their house. How did this bishop take his devotion in his faith and his generosity to one famely become such as global sensation of a whimsical jolly man? This is how the modern day holly jolly Santa with a red outfit pulled by reindeers on Christmas so many years ago
On Christmas morning, he arrives in a foreboding forested area, "a man all alone" in a "marsh and mire" where "birds unblithe upon bare twigs/Peeped most piteously for pain of the cold." (The cold loneliness stands in contrast to the warmth and companionship he is to find in Bercilak's castle later on in the story.) Here he again prays mournfully--this time that he may be able to attend the Christmas mass. His first thoughts are not for his own safety, nor for his reputation should he not find the Green Chapel in time.
The discussion of children and school also gives well meaning of an organized and well-balanced village the people have put together, one the average parent would want their children raised in. “They tended to gather together quietly for a while before they broke into boisterous play, and their talk was still of the classroom and the teacher, of books and reprimands (p.445).” The thought of children playing also illustrates of a positive outlook for the rest of the story, a sense of happiness.
Most saints have been known for a specific thing he or she has done. It is usually something that help ones greatly or even change people’s lives. In this case, this inspirational figure has proven himself to be so affectionate and caring, he has earned a name that is used all over the world. He has the honor of giving gifts to little boys and girls on a special time called Christmas. St Nicholas is an incredible saint who shows the characteristics of generosity and love all throughout his life.
On a busy day, when Van Amsterdam is baking his famous cookies, an old day comes and asks for a dozen cookies. He meticulously counts the cookies and places them in a pack. The old day reprimands him for not giving a dozen cookies. Boasting of his high work ethic, he tells her that there are twelve cookies. She insists that a dozen is thirteen in her book. Van Amsterdam adamantly refuses to add another cookie. She warns him that he has a small heart and leaves. Soon, things start to go south in the bakery. No matter how hard he tries, the bread falls flat and the cookies get burnt. He starts to lose his customers. In about a year, he becomes poor. He prays to Saint Nicholas to save his bakery. That night, he has a dream. He is in a market as a young child. He sees Saint Nicholas with his bag full of presents. Saint Nicholas is distributing gifts to the children in the market. Van Amsterdam finds that Saint Nicholas's bag is always full regardless of taking gifts from
“Saint Nicholas, also called Nikolaos of Myra, was a historic 4th-century Christian saint and Greek Bishop of Myra, in Asia Minor.” He was born in Patara, Lycia, Turkey on March 15, 270 AD and passed away on the sixth of December 343 AD. St. Nicholas was a bishop who helped those that were in need and that were sick, after he passed away in December he turn into the legendary character known as Santa Claus now this was because he was a gift-giving person when he was alive. His feast day is in December 6 of every year, St. Nicholas is an inspiring saint from my perspective as a person.
Father and son relationships are important in families. A father is not only a hard worker and provider for his family, but also a man that spends time with and takes care of his children. In Theodore Roethke’s “My Papa’s Waltz”, and in Robert Hayden’s “Those Winter Sundays” are two poems that tell a story of the relationship between father and son. In these two poems, the reader takes a look back at how their fathers had treated them. Both parents were not perfect, their children had love and respect for them, and in contrast the two fathers had different approaches when treating their sons.
As children, we all view our relationship with our parents as something sacred. If suddenly that relationship began to fade little by little one would feel a great amount of sorrow. Poet, Robert Hayden, captured this complicated child and parent relationship in his free verse poem, “Those Winter Sundays.” In “Those Winter Sundays”, Hayden uses multiple literary devices and rhetorical methods to illustrate his feelings towards a tricky father and child relationship.
In Catholic tradition, the Feast of St. Nicholas itself occurred on December 5th when women would bake cakes and biscuits in the shape of the saint while children placed their shoes out hoping St. Nicholas would visit in the night and leave goodies inside. In Steen’s composition we are let into a Dutch home where St. Nicholas has just visited and deposited various items. In the foreground we see a festively dressed toddler who has been left a doll of John the Baptist, a saint who protected children against ailments that were common of the time period. This s...
Robert Hayden’s “Those Winter Sundays” depicts a man remembering and examining his childhood. The speaker recalls how his father worked tirelessly despite receiving no recognition or appreciation. The father continued to labor everyday for his family because the strength of his love overpowered the despair of the thankless job that his son could not understand.
On December 9, 2013, the day before he had died, he saw his last day of school as so not grateful. He go...
Dickens, Charles. A Christmas Carol. Classics of Children's Literature. Ed. John W. Griffith and Charles Frey. 3rd ed. New York: Macmillan, 1992. 197-249.
Emma, Marissa and I are in charge of the making the lefse. This has been our job ever since we were little girls, becoming experts through all our years of experience. My grandma makes the most amazing food and always has enough to feed us for a week. After we stuff ourselves full of delicious, lasagna, salads, and hot dishes all made with love and while the adults lean back comfortably in their chairs, us kids go put on our pajamas and troop downstairs to open our gifts. The most memorable gift would be the ring my grandma gave me that used to be my great-grandmothers who died a couple days after my grandma turned fifteen. My great-grandma loved to travel and had a great passion for fashion, so this circle of metal with a little diamond in the middle and a floral pattern surrounding it, had been bought in California and has been in the family since. “Bang, bang, bang!” A huge pounding comes from the front door. Dogs bark, adults grin, and we race to open the creaky door. Santa Claus, eyes twinkling, dressed in red with coal-black boots, and swinging a sack over his right shoulder, steps inside. He plops down heavily; ringing merry bells and passes them off to David, my brother, telling him seriously to keep ringing them so Rudolf won’t fly away without him. With wide eyes, little David shakes the bells with such rigor that if Rudolf was in the North Pole he would be able to hear them. We each take a turn perching on his knee, hesitant at first but then opening up and telling him our age and that, “yes we have been really, really, really good this year.” As Santa’s beard tickles our chin as we lean in close for a picture and his big belly shakes as he laughs at the same time as you start to giggle. Then he opens his sack and pulls out gifts wrapped in colorful paper for each of us. With a few cookies for the road, crumbs in his beard and a
The nature also seems to join in with their joy as the sun shines with sheer brilliance over the playing children. The azure sky also seems to be smiling at the joy of these innocent children. The whole atmosphere further seems drunk with high-spirited fervor; the church bells add their sonorous chimes to this festive atmosphere. The poet symbolizes the innocence and delicacy of children with the...