St Nikolaus
I hope you cleaned your shoes last night? If your German Godparents taught you well, then maybe St Nikolaus will pay you a visit and bring some goodies. Or, maybe, as in the case of one London household, arrange for a treat to be delivered!
Whilst in Pittsburgh, we spotted a few people in the foyer of one of the office buildings near our hotel as we went to dinner one evening. They were viewing a display of life-sized figures, beautifully staged and illustrating Christmas traditions around the world. St Nikolaus was the first one we came across - though I’m sorry about the harsh lighting that proved too much for my photography skills.
As we looked at each figure in turn and read the story on the open book by the painting, I recalled my time teaching Class 2 at Tranby Croft school in Hull, around the time we were married. The girls in my class were so excited for Christmas, I’d tell a story each day based on the various traditions around the world and here they were, more lavishly illustrated but provoking the same excitement and curiosity. This cold-looking figure is Grandfather Frost and the story is about Christmas in Russia.
I’m not sure that Haitian traditions featured in my Christmas stories all those years ago, but they are very much part of life in modern-day USA.
The “home team” had two variations of Santa Claus to find in the displays. This one, the “modern-day Santa Claus” is said to “don his apron and create his special Christmas magic in his North Pole workshop”.
His predecessor was brought to the USA by the Pennsylvania Dutch families (many of whom were German) and was a variation on the German Christkind story. He went by the name of Kris Kringle and brought presents to the children on Christmas Eve.
And who is this, we asked? Surprisingly, we didn’t recognise him, there in his green finery, because here he is, our very own Father Christmas!
I didn’t know that he travels with a white donkey or a white goat, nor that traditionally he brings a Yule Log to each household. We live and learn!
What’s interesting in something like this is to see the common factors between some of these traditions. In Ireland, St Stephen looks a little like Father Christmas though his feast day is the 26th December.
A “Holy Man” represents the general area referred to here as “the Middle East” and the gifts he brings are said to be “a modern tradition”.
I’m not so sure Christmas has been widely celebrated in China either, but here was Shen Dan Lao Ren who appears to be performing much the same role as Santa Claus.
On safer ground in Scandinavia then, with Julesvenn, the Norse gift-bringer
and La Befana in Italy.
Not to mention Pere Noel and his companion Le Pere Fouettard from France.
Hah! Just when I think I’ve got the lot, I come across a figure representing Ukrainian traditions, though sadly,I didn’t make a note of his name.
I didn’t note the Mexican tradition either - nor did I take a very good photograph! Perhaps the Christmas ale I’d enjoyed with my dinner was taking effect?
It seems only proper to end where I began with another version of St Nikolaus, though. This time, here’s the story from the Netherlands, where Sinterklaas and his helper Zwarte Piet will have been busy last evening.
This was such a lovely thing to do. Full marks to PPG Place and Highwoods Properties for creating such a beautiful display which surely prompted all kinds of memories of traditions and stories to share between families from all over the world. We loved it.
